site.news_by_theme Catalonia

The outgoing head of the Catalan government, Artur Mas, failed again to garner enough support in the regional parliament to secure a new term following a September vote.

Catalonia may have voted to kick off a process towards independence but the wealthy region is far from breaking up with Spain, and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy could actually benefit in upcoming elections.

Lawmakers in Catalonia officially kicked off a process to secede fromSpain by 2017, despite impassioned pleas against independence, in an unprecedented showdown with Madrid's central government.

Catalonia's pro-independence regional parliament is expected to launch a secession process in Spain's wealthiest region, in a showdown with the central government in Madrid.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed to use "all political and legal means" to block a Catalan independence bid after separatist parties submitted a bill on secession to the regional Catalan parliament.

The Catalan regional assembly opened a new session dominated for the first time by a secessionist majority that has vowed to break away from Spain within 18 months.

Catalonia leader Artur Mas defended his ruling separatist Convergence party against graft allegations after a slew of arrests targeting current and former officials.

Spanish judges started questioning Catalan officials charged with breaking the law by holding a vote last year on their contested drive for independence from Spain.

Catalonia's president Artur Mas accused the Spanish government of suing him because its "pride was hurt" by his bids to let his region vote on independence from Spain.

Separatists pushing to make Catalonia independent from Spain were on track to win an absolute majority of parliamentary seats in a regional election.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy appealed for a "united Spain" in Barcelona as campaigning wrapped up for a regional election in Catalonia framed as an indirect vote on independence.

Some 1.4 million people joined a march demanding independence for the Catalonia region from Spain, Barcelona city police said.

Catalan leader Artur Mas kicked off campaigning for a regional election billed as an indirect poll on independence from Spain by urging voters to determine their "political future".

Catalan separatists hold a massive rally in Barcelona in favour of independence that will kick off campaigning for a regional election billed as a de facto referendum on secession from Spain.

Catalonia's president vowed to begin seceding from Spain if pro-independence parties win a majority of seats -- not votes -- in regional parliament elections set for later this month.

Catalonia is poised to call on Monday an early regional election that will serve as a proxy vote on independence from the rest of Spain, raising tensions with the central government in Madrid.

Spanish public workers will get a one-percent pay rise next year, trumpeting the country's economic recovery a few months ahead of a general election.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday backed a former mayor whose comments have been called xenophobic as his party's top candidate for regional elections in independence-minded Catalonia.

Catalonia called a snap election for September centred on its independence bid, just two months after the wealthy region held a contested symbolic referendum.

Spain's King Felipe VI praised the merits of unity in his first speech in Catalonia since the wealthy northwest region held a symbolic vote on independence.