Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy refused Tuesday to countenance a Catalan quest for an independence referendum as the nation's parliament prepared to join him in rejecting the secessionist bid. The north-eastern region of Catalonia, which has its own language and a long history of fighting for greater autonomy from Spain, sought permission from the Spanish parliament to hold a referendum on November 9.
But Rajoy's ruling conservative Popular Party, the main opposition Socialists and the centrist Union for Progress and Democracy, are determined to prevent a break-up of Spain. Wielding a combined 300 of the 350 seats in parliament, the three parties have already said they will vote against the petition. "I defend that Catalonia should remain in Spain because I can't conceive of Spain without Catalonia nor of Catalonia outside of Spain and Europe," Rajoy told the assembly during a debate over the Catalan petition.
Rajoy repeated his argument that the vote would be illegal, since under Spain's constitution referendums on sovereignty must be held nationally and not regionally. The Spanish leader has warned that independence would be an economic disaster for both Spain and Catalonia, one of the country's most productive but also most indebted regions. "Together we all win and separate we all lose," the prime minister told parliament. Spain's Constitutional Court ruled last month that a region like Catalonia could not "unilaterally" call a referendum on its sovereignty. But the Catalan government argues that a 2006 Catalan autonomy statute which was passed by Spain's parliament granted the region the power to hold referendums. It is unclear what Catalonia's next move could be if the referendum is refused. Catalonia's regional head of government, Artur Mas, has in the past vowed to remain within the law.