NOTE: THIS TEXT IS SUPPLIED SO THE TEXT CAN BE TRANSLATED BY ONE PERSON, AND THEN INPUT INTO THE GRAPHIC BY ANOTHER. A BETTER SOLUTION IS FOR THE TRANSLATOR TO INPUT DIRECTLY INTO THE GRAPHIC IN ILLUSTRATOR (SEE http://www.graphicnews.com/core/info.php?q=429), BUT THIS ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE. 

Catalonia eyes independence referendum

Catalonia is heading for a showdown with the Spanish government over the wealthy industrial region’s plan to hold a nonbinding referendum on independence on November 9

ANDORRA
FRANCE
PYRENEES
SPAIN

CATALONIA

Lleida
Tarragona
Barcelona

Girona


Mediterranean Sea

50km

30 miles

SPAIN


COUNTDOWN TO REFERENDUM


2006: Reformed version of Catalonia’s autonomy statute, giving regional government greater powers, comes into force


2010: Constitutional Court in Madrid strikes down key provisions of statute in response to complaint by Spanish centre-right People’s Party. Court rules there is no legal basis for recognising Catalonia as nation

Sep 2012: 1.5m people take part in independence rally in Barcelona Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy rejects call by Catalan president Artur Mas (right) for greater fiscal independence 


Nov: Snap elections held in Catalonia – new Catalan parliament has 107 out of 135 MPs supporting self-determination referendum


Jan 2013: Sovereignty declaration adopted by Catalan parliament


Apr 2014: Spanish parliament votes against transferring referendum powers to Catalonia


Sep: Hundreds of thousands of Catalans form “V” for “vote” along two of Barcelona’s main roads calling for their right to vote

(UPDATE 1) Sep 27: President Artur Mas signs decree calling for vote on independence from Spain - central government expected to seek court injection blocking referendum scheduled for Nov 9.
(WAS Sep 19: Catalan parliament approves bill enabling Catalonia to hold non-binding referendum on Nov 9 – central government set to challenge law in Constitutional Court)


Pictures: Getty Images