Spain’s constitutional court has overturned a resolution for independence which had been agreed by Catalonia’s parliament.
The decision was unanimous, according to the country’s prime minister Mariano Rajoy (pictured).
The motion had called on the regional assembly of Catalonia to start preparing legislation within 30 days to establish a separate treasury and social security administration, with a view to completing independence in 18 months.
Rajoy immediately sent the motion to the Constitutional Court which suspended it temporarily while it considered the legal position.
Opinion surveys indicate that most Catalans support holding a referendum on independence, but are divided over actual independence from Spain.
The region has a great deal of autonomy in education, health and policing. But it is campaigning for yet more, especially over taxation, claiming it provides more to central government than it receives.
Catalonia accounts for nearly 20% of Spain’s economic output.
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