Spanish Parliament Rejects Referendum on Catalan Independence

The Spanish Parliament has rejected a request by the Catalan authorities to hold a referendum on independence on 9 November.

Following 7-hour debates, a total of 299 MPs opposed the motion, with 47 votes in favor and one abstention, according to reports of the BBC News.

The votes in favor came from Catalan and Basque nationalist parties.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy argued that a referendum would be illegal as Spanish law required referendums on sovereignty to be held nationally and not regionally.

"I can't imagine Spain without Catalonia, or Catalonia out of Europe," Rajoy told MPs prior to the vote.

Catalonia President Artur Mas declared that the regional authorities would seek other legal options to hold a referendum.