Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy speaks during a press conference at Moncloa palace in Madrid on July 28, 2017 | Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images

Spanish government to file appeal against Catalonia referendum plan

Independence bill doesn’t take opposition amendments into account, Spanish PM’s legal advisors say.



Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Friday he will launch an appeal at Spain's highest court against the Catalan government's plan to hold an independence referendum in October.

"There will be no referendum on October 1 because that is what the Constitutional Court has determined," Rajoy said at a press conference, adding: "The government of Spain is going to defend the law."

Rajoy maintains that an independence referendum would be illegal according to the Spanish constitution, and promised that the government will take all legal measures at its disposal to prevent it.

On Thursday, the Council of State, a legal advisory body, encouraged Rajoy to file an appeal after concluding that the proposed Catalan referendum bill would be illegal on the grounds that it would not allow opposition parties in the regional parliament to propose amendments, and therefore violate "the right to political participation under equal conditions."

"The government is protecting the law and defending Catalan institutions and their officials, who cannot be used for an act contrary to the law," Rajoy said at the press conference.

The central government will challenge the Catalan government's decision to change the regional parliament's procedural rules, allowing the referendum bill to be voted on without amendments from opposition lawmakers.

Catalonia's ruling coalition promised to hold a binding referendum on independence and then lead the Catalan people to secession if a majority of voters back that option.
