(CNN) -- The president of Spain's Catalonia region, Artur Mas, signed a decree on Saturday setting November 9 as the date for a referendum on independence. However, the federal government in Madrid is staunchly opposed to any such referendum and says it is unconstitutional, setting the stage for legal and political confrontation and potential civil disobedience. The holding of Scotland's independence referendum earlier this month buoyed other separatist movements around the world, despite Scottish voters opting to remain part of the United Kingdom. Mas, at the signing ceremony in Barcelona, said that Catalonia wants to speak, wants to be heard and wants to vote.
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Catalan President Artur Mas sets November 9 as the date for an independence referendum
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The federal government in Madrid is firmly opposed to any such vote taking place
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Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators called earlier this month for a vote to be held
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But opinion polls suggest that less than a majority would opt for a split from Spain
But @placeholder argues that Catalonia, which represents one fifth of Spain's economy, already has broad home-rule powers, including its own parliament, police force and control over education and health.