Spain lawmakers set to reject Catalan independence bid

Source: Expatica

Spanish lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday to shoot down Catalonia's quest for an independence referendum, setting the stage for a bitter sovereignty struggle.

In a showdown in the Spanish parliament, more than 80 percent of lawmakers will reject Catalonia's plan for a November 9 referendum, the national press predicted.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's right-leaning Popular Party and the main opposition Socialists are both determined to prevent any breakup of Spain.

"End of the line," read the front-page headline of the conservative daily ABC with a mock-up picture of a stone lion on a railway buffer at the end of a set of tracks.

It is unclear what Catalonia's next move could be if the referendum is refused.

Read more: http://www.expatica.com/es/news/spanish-news/spain-lawmakers-set-to-reject-catalan-independence-bid_289654.html