Catalan parliament approves independence vote

[frigidmagi]

BBC

Catalonia's parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of giving its regional president the power to call an independence "consultation".

Spain's government opposes the Catalan "consultation" vote and is taking the dispute to the Constitutional Court.

The move comes a day after Scotland voted against independence from the United Kingdom.

Catalan President Artur Mas said Scotland's referendum had "shown the way" for Catalonian independence.

He is preparing Catalonia for a similar vote on 9 November, with large-scale support for independence from Spain.

Catalonian lawmakers voted by a margin of 106 to 28 in favour of authorising the consultation.

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The Spanish government has said a referendum on Catalan independence would be unconstitutional, despite protests
Spain's Constitutional Court is expected to consider the Catalan case on Tuesday and could suspend the region's vote on independence.

'Strong message'
Mr Mas earlier said Scotland's rejection of independence was "not a setback" and that having the chance to vote was "the key point".

"This is a powerful and strong message that the UK is sending to the entire world - that if there is such a conflict elsewhere in the world you have the right way to try to resolve these differences," he said.

Scotland "has shown the way to others - the Catalan process continues", he added.

"My main commitment is to... organise the referendum and let the Catalan people vote," Mr Mas said.

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Catalonian President Artur Mas: Scotland vote is "not a real setback"
"If they think in Madrid that by using legal frameworks they can stop the will of the Catalan people, they are wrong."

Resentment
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy warmly welcomed the Scottish "No" to independence.

"With their decision, the Scottish have avoided the grave economic, social, institutional and political consequences that would have resulted from its separation from the United Kingdom and Europe," he said.

"They chose between integration and segregation, between isolation and openness, between stability and uncertainty, between security and a real risk, and they have chosen the most favourable option for everyone, for them, for the rest of the British citizens and for Europe."

Catalonia is one of Spain's richest and most highly industrialised regions, and also one of the most independent-minded.

Until recently, few Catalans had wanted full independence, but Spain's painful economic crisis has seen a surge in support for separation, correspondents say. There is resentment over the proportion of Catalan taxes used to support poorer regions.

Mr Mas can count on support from 79% of the deputies in Catalonia's parliament, the Spanish news agency Efe reports.

The pro-independence movement in Catalonia believes that once Mr Mas signs the new law, the region can go ahead with the independence vote.

Earlier this month hundreds of thousands of Catalans formed a "V" for "vote" along two of Barcelona's main roads calling for their right to vote.

[Lys]

Looks like I'm going to have to go down to the consulate and update my contact information so I can vote against this bullshit. Normally I don't care much for voting because my lone voice isn't going to sway things one way or the other, but I feel strongly enough about this one that I want to do something regardless of its irrelevance to the actual outcome. Spain must stay together.

[LadyTevar]

Wow, Lys, I didn't know you were a Spainish expat.

[Steve]

Looks like I'm going to have to go down to the consulate and update my contact information so I can vote against this bullshit. Normally I don't care much for voting because my lone voice isn't going to sway things one way or the other, but I feel strongly enough about this one that I want to do something regardless of its irrelevance to the actual outcome. Spain must stay together.

I'm curious about your reasons for this view regarding the issue?

[Lys]

Despite being nominally Catalan, my loyalties are primarily Spanish. Regardless of whether or not this is good for Catalonia, it definitely not good for Spain, and thus I oppose it. I am also opposed to independence movements in general on the grounds that I believe it better be the tail of a lion than the head of a mouse, as my mother once put it. In other words, I consider being part of something greater to be more important than sovereignty over one's affairs, and as such am generally contemptuous of attempts to diminish that greater thing by divesting oneself from it. By the same token, however, I do approve of separatist movements when they seek to leave a lesser entity in order to unify with a greater one. If Catalonia were voting to join France instead of voting for independence I might very well have started to sing La Marseillaise. You might perhaps say I'm an imperialist who doesn't particularly care whose empire it is so long as it's an empire. The other circumstance in which I will approve of a separatist movement is when there is no grandeur to that which they are escaping, when all continued union does is leave them in the hands of some oppressive monstrosity. This is the case with the Kurds in Iraq, but it is not the case for the Catalans in Spain.

[frigidmagi]

I'll admit that actually does help me make sense of some of your stances Lys. Thank you.

[White Haven]

I have to agree with Frigid. I still think you're just shy of being mad, but I at least comprehend your particular brand of crazy better now.

[Josh]

It's ruthless pragmatism, not madness.