Catalonia Secessionists Fail to Win Allies in Referendum Battle
- Barcelona declines use of voting centers for referendum
- Pro-secession demonstrations seen for ‘Diada’ on Sept. 11
Ada Colau
Photographer: Pau Barrena/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Catalonia’s bid to hold an independence referendum was set back as Barcelona refused to let its voting centers be used for the ballot opposed by the national government.
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau told Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont in a letter Friday she couldn’t allow use of the centers until he could outline plans for protecting public employees from the consequences of working on the vote, according to El Pais. Spain’s constitutional court on Thursday said it would ask 947 Catalan mayors to avoid taking part in the referendum.