Spanish Congress Says NO to Catalan Referendum

A majority of the Spanish Parliament's lower chamber voted against allowing a referendum in Catalonia after over seven hours' debate.

Three members of the Catalan Parliament, Jordi Turull of conservative CiU, Marta Rovira of the Catalan Republican Left and Joan Herrera of the left-green coalition ICV submitted their parliament's request to have the authority to call a referendum ceded by the Spanish government.

But the Congreso has refused point blank to accept and have sent the Catalans home without any alternative. The argument is that the Spanish Constitution does not allow for a referendum to be called and, as Prime Minister Rajoy repeated once again, “I neither can nor want to allow a referendum.” However, several constitutional law experts, including the two remaining living authors of the Constitution, disagree.

Catalan President Mas said soon after the vote that "the Spanish government has wasted another opportunity" and that "unfortunately, the Spanish government has made a mistake, as time will tell."