Catalonia Defies Spain by Calling Secession Vote
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The Spanish government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insists the referendum, planned for Nov. 9, is illegal and won't take place.
Catalan leader Artur Mas signed the decree to call the referendum in a solemn ceremony in the regional government headquarters in Barcelona, flanked by most of the region's political leaders, who support the vote.
Mas made the long-expected announcement as Rajoy was flying back from China.
Rajoy is expected to hold an emergency cabinet meeting within days on the issue. The Spanish government plans to challenge a recently-passed Catalan law permitting the independence referendum before the Constitutional Court, which it hopes will suspend it and halt the vote.
Spain's constitution doesn't allow referendums on sovereignty that don't include all Spaniards, and experts say its Constitutional Court would rule the vote illegal.
The announcement comes a week after Scotland voted against breaking away from Britain.
