Spain has to realise that the will of the people of Catalonia cannot be ignored

A vote on independence for Catalonia on November 9 will be a step towards separation from Spain. The Spanish government is doing everything in its power to prevent the people of Catalonia from engaging in a democratic vote to determine their own future. Barcelona wanted to hold a referendum on independence, in the same way that Scotland did. At every turn Madrid, using the power of the Constitutional Court has bullied and threatened the Catalans not to hold any kind of democratic vote or consultation. The ridiculous reason given by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for this interference in Catalanonia? Wait for it! - Because a Catalan independence vote would be 'anti-democratic'! This is from the Conservative Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy who just a month ago was forced publicly to apologise for corruption scandals affecting members of his ruling People's Party.

Now the Catalan government will press ahead anyway on November 9. When hundreds of thousands of Catalans are expected to vote in a "citizen participation process". It is not the kind of vote that Catalans wanted but it does give them the opportunity to express their opinions about their political future. By going ahead with this vote on November 9 the regional government of Catalonia was shown itself determined to put its case for a separate state. Needless to say the arrogant Spanish government will do all in its power to undermine the process and ignore the result. However, the movement towards an independent Catalonia is set to continue. One of the major questions is, following the November 9 vote, whether the present Catalan government will decide to call snap elections as a plebiscite on the independence issue, or continue for the full term, until autumn 2016.