PhotoIn 2014, the last time Catalonia held an independence vote, it, too, was declared illegal by Spain’s constitutional court. But Catalan officials described that vote as a straw ballot, and the government in Madrid and the police did not prevent it. This time, sensing the growing seriousness of the Catalan referendum, which the regional government says will now be binding, Madrid is taking a far more aggressive tack. “Spain’s judiciary can go after me, but that’s only helping unite my town even more and increasing everybody’s determination to vote,” Mr. Rabasseda said defiantly. But for mayors like Mr. Rabasseda, the choice to go ahead with the ballot was simple, if potentially disastrous for him.

Source: New York Times September 27, 2017 19:22 UTC