Separatists in Catalonia want to be able to hold a referendum on their future and have dismissed the trial as a politically-motivated farce". -Catalonia's independence drive remains a political hot potato. Tens of thousands of people joined a rally on Sunday in central Madrid called by right-wing and far-right parties against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who they accuse of "high treason" over his negotiations with Catalan separatists. But Catalan separatists insisted on their demand to hold a referendum, which Madrid fiercely opposes, and the talks broke down on Friday. Sanchez's minority government relies on the support of Catalan separatist parties to approve its 2019 budget.

Source: Bangkok Post February 12, 2019 09:56 UTC