THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT has asked the country’s constitutional court to declare Catalonia’s independence vote illegal.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy  has vowed to defend his country’s “sovereignty” against a bid by leaders in Catalonia to hold a vote on secession.

The Catalan President Artur Mas has formally called a referendum for 9 November but the Spanish Government has vowed to stop it taking place.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has now said that they have filed a constitutional appeal to prevent the region from voting .

“There is nothing and no one, no power nor institution, that can break this principle of sole sovereignty,” Rajoy told reporters, announcing that his government had filed a constitutional appeal against the planned vote.

The independence movement in Catalonia has gathered strength in recent years amid the worsening economic climate in Spain.

Fired up by the referendum in Scotland, 1.8 million people protested in Barcelona on 11 September to be allowed to hold their own vote.

Proud of their Catalan language and culture, many of the region’s 7.5 million inhabitants feel short-changed by the government in Madrid, which redistributes their taxes.

The region’s economy generates 20% of Spain’s wealth.

© – AFP 2014

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