https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday called plans by the Catalan government to hold early elections as part of a push to gain independence from Spain "a step to nowhere". https://www.thelocal.es/20141127/catalan-self-rule-plans-road-to-nowhere-spanish-pm Thu, 27 Nov 2014 10:27:00 +0100 catalan-self-rule-plans-road-to-nowhere-spanish-pm The head of the regional Catalan government, Artur Mas, said on Tuesday he wants to hold early elections in the region as the first step in plans aimed at Catalonia becoming independent from Spain in 2016. https://www.thelocal.es/20141126/catalan-leader-unveils-18-month-independence-plan Wed, 26 Nov 2014 10:22:00 +0100 catalan-leader-unveils-18-month-independence-plan Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday warned that he would not consider the option of a definitive independence referendum in Catalonia during his first public appearance since the region held an unofficial poll on self-rule on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.es/20141112/rajoy-speaks Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:00:00 +0100 rajoy-speaks Catalan authorities suffered a massive cyberattack while the region was voting in an independence ballot outlawed by Madrid, the region's president said on Tuesday during a press conference outlining his future strategy on Catlan independence. https://www.thelocal.es/20141112/catalonia-suffered Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:01:00 +0100 catalonia-suffered Updated: Spain's public prosecutor on Tuesday denied that his counterpart in Catalonia would shortly launch legal action against the Catalan government over Sunday's symbolic vote on independence, saying the process would take place "without haste". https://www.thelocal.es/20141111/prosecutor-set-to-lay-charges-against-catalan-president Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:40:00 +0100 prosecutor-set-to-lay-charges-against-catalan-president More than 2.3 million people voted in Catalonia's symbolic independence vote with 80 percent of them backing secession from Spain, the regional government said on Monday, as parties in the region jostled for position in the post-vote wash-up. https://www.thelocal.es/20141110/over-23-million-vote-in-catalonias-independence-poll Mon, 10 Nov 2014 18:42:00 +0100 over-23-million-vote-in-catalonias-independence-poll International observers have praised the high voter turnout in Catalonia's symbolic vote on independence from Spain on Sunday despite "challenges" faced, while criticizing the low number of polling stations. https://www.thelocal.es/20141110/observers-praise-catalan-independence-poll Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:26:00 +0100 observers-praise-catalan-independence-poll Just three days out from Sunday's symbolic vote in Catalonia on the issue of independence from the rest of Spain, Madrid on Thursday said it was prepared the vote to go ahead as long as it was organized by private groups and not public bodies. https://www.thelocal.es/20141107/madrid-back-down-in-catalan-vote-stand-off Fri, 07 Nov 2014 10:00:00 +0100 madrid-back-down-in-catalan-vote-stand-off People in Spain's Catalonia region will be going to the poll on Sunday to cast their ballot in a symbolic vote on the issue of independence from the rest of Spain, but who are the army of volunteers behind the controversial ballet? https://www.thelocal.es/20141106/volunteers Thu, 06 Nov 2014 13:34:35 +0100 volunteers The Spanish central government on Monday said it will challenge in court plans by Catalonia to hold a symbolic vote next month on whether the wealthy region should be independent from Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20141028/madrid-to-block-new Tue, 28 Oct 2014 09:58:00 +0100 madrid-to-block-new Expats registered as living in Spain's Catalonia region will be able to vote in the upcoming unofficial poll on independence for the region, with the process now easier than ever, officials have told The Local. https://www.thelocal.es/20141016/expat-guide-to-voting-in-catalonias-independence-poll Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:01:00 +0200 expat-guide-to-voting-in-catalonias-independence-poll Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday talked down the importance of a newly announced unofficial November 9th independence poll in Catalonia, saying now was the time for sensible dialogue on the issue. https://www.thelocal.es/20141015/spanish-pm-hails-scrapping-of-catalan-vote Wed, 15 Oct 2014 14:28:00 +0200 spanish-pm-hails-scrapping-of-catalan-vote A spokesperson for Spain's ruling Popular Party has described the Catalan government's new plans for a "participatory" vote on independence as "nonsense" and "legal fraud", while the party's regional leader dismissed the poll as a "big survey". https://www.thelocal.es/20141014/madrid-slams-carnival-vote-in-catalonia-independence-artur-mas Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:56:00 +0200 madrid-slams-carnival-vote-in-catalonia-independence-artur-mas The President of Catalonia on Tuesday announced the region would stage a watered-down, unofficial public consultation on the issue of independence from the rest of Spain on November 9th, a day after he scrapped original plans for a November 9th referendum. https://www.thelocal.es/20141014/catalan-president-calls-plebiscite-style-poll Tue, 14 Oct 2014 11:59:00 +0200 catalan-president-calls-plebiscite-style-poll Thousands took to the streets of Barcelona on Sunday, Spain's national day, to oppose moves to make their Catalonia region an independent state, while the Spanish prime minister admitted he had not spoken to the Catalan president in months. https://www.thelocal.es/20141013/thousands-march-against-catalan-independence-spain-spanish-national-day-catalonia Mon, 13 Oct 2014 11:20:00 +0200 thousands-march-against-catalan-independence-spain-spanish-national-day-catalonia The Catalan government on Monday conceded a contested referendum on separation from the rest of Spain called for November 9th was no sure thing, saying a decision would be made on whether to hold the vote by October 15th. https://www.thelocal.es/20141007/independence-vote-in-the-air-catalan-government-catalonia-artur-mas Tue, 07 Oct 2014 11:11:00 +0200 independence-vote-in-the-air-catalan-government-catalonia-artur-mas Catalan leaders vowed on Friday to push ahead with their plan to hold a vote on independence on November 9th, defying constitutional blocks by the Spanish government, an official said. https://www.thelocal.es/20141003/independence-vote-will-go-ahead-catalan-leader Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:37:00 +0200 independence-vote-will-go-ahead-catalan-leader Thousands of Catalans rallied in a rainstorm Tuesday, staging their own 'umbrella revolution' as their leaders battled to defend their bid for a referendum on independence from Spain after a court suspended it. https://www.thelocal.es/20141001/catalan-take-to-streets-to-back-self-rule-vote-catalonia-independence Wed, 01 Oct 2014 11:05:00 +0200 catalan-take-to-streets-to-back-self-rule-vote-catalonia-independence Updated: Judges with Spain's Constitutional Court will hold an emergency meeting on Monday evening to consider whether to accept a Spanish government appeal against an upcoming vote on the issue of independence in Spain's Catalonia region. https://www.thelocal.es/20140929/madrid-to-roll-out-measures-to-block-catalan-vote-artur-mas-catalonia Mon, 29 Sep 2014 12:49:00 +0200 madrid-to-roll-out-measures-to-block-catalan-vote-artur-mas-catalonia The president of Catalonia Artur Mas will on Saturday sign a decree paving the way for the region's non-binding referendum on independence from the rest of Spain, sources with the regional government said on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20140925/catalan-leader-artur-mas-to-call-self-rule-vote-on-saturday-catalonia-independence Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:55:00 +0200 catalan-leader-artur-mas-to-call-self-rule-vote-on-saturday-catalonia-independence