Catalonia pending independence referendum

Catalonia will declare independence immediately if a majority of the Spanish region's voters choose independence in a referendum, the ruling coalition announced.

“If the majority of votes are for the creation of a Catalan republic, no doubt independence will have to be declared immediately”, said Gabriela Serra, a separatist coalition member governing Catalonia, the BBC reports.

Her comments came after the coalition presented a law aimed at removing the northeastern region from Spain's legal system, in an effort to bypass all legal and practical challenges for organising a referendum. At the end of August, it is thought to surrender to the Spanish Parliament.