Posted on 09/29/2014 8:05:21 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
MADRID — At first glance, Catalonia's face-off with Madrid over independence looks like it has much in common with the recent Scottish secessionist crisis, which panicked countries and markets alike.
But the upcoming vote, which Spain’s highest court unanimously suspended after the Spanish government officially challenged it on Monday, shares little with Scotland's, other than the ultimate goal.
The regional leader of Catalonia, Artur Mas, signed a decree Saturday setting Nov. 9 for the referendum. But, whenever the referendum might take place, the fundamental difference is that Catalonians are not being asked to decide whether to break away from Spain, but rather whether they should start a process with that end in mind. The implications for the time being are a strictly Spanish affair.
Furthermore, the results would have no legal implications, as the central government and the Spanish Parliament don’t recognize the legality of the vote, unlike the United Kingdom, which gave its blessing to Scotland's referendum.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
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