Catalan premier calls early elections, classing vote a plebiscite for region

Catalonia's head of government Artur Mas signed on 3 August 2015 a formal decree calling for early regional elections, to take place on 27 September. The decision was part of his push for wider sovereignty for the northeastern Spanish region.

Following the signature of the decree, Mr Mas called for the election to be seen as a plebiscite - although such word was not used in the decree to avoid any legal challenge from the central government in Madrid.

Spain's prime minister Mariano Rajoy had insisted that Catalonia would never be an independent country, in any circumstances.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Catalan parties planning to declare independence after election win http://www.europeansources.info/record/catalan-parties-planning-to-declare-independence-after-election-win/

El País, 31.07.15: Spain’s Mariano Rajoy: '“Catalonia will never be independent in any way' http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/07/31/inenglish/1438352284_257740.html

Deutsche Welle, 03.08.15: Catalonia to hold September elections framed as new independence vote http://dw.com/p/1G9Ep

Euronews, 03.08.15: Spain heading for constitutional tension as Catalonia calls an early election http://www.euronews.com/2015/08/03/spain-heading-for-constitutional-tension-as-catalonia-calls-an-early-election/

France24, 04.08.15: Catalonia calls early polls in fresh independence challenge http://www.france24.com/en/20150804-catalonia-calls-early-polls-fresh-independence-challenge

Catalan News Agency, 03.08.15: Catalan President officially calls elections, cautious of potential Spanish Government ban http://www.catalannewsagency.com/politics/item/catalan-president-officially-calls-elections-cautious-of-potential-spanish-government-ban

ABC, 04.08.15: Mas dividing Catalan society (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE167471-Mas-dividing-Catalan-society

The Local.es, 04.08.15: Catalonia calls early poll for independence vote http://www.thelocal.es/20150804/catalonia-calls-early-poll-in-independence-vote

ESO: Background information: Catalonian parliamentary election, 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/catalonian-parliamentary-election-2015/

El País, 23.07.15: Catalan secessionists threaten immediate independence after election http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/07/21/inenglish/1437471078_289683.html

---