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Added on the 22/12/2017 14:15:19 - Copyright : France 24 EN
Five recently released Catalan separatists meet with former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont in Waterloo, Belgium. Catalonia's bid to break away from Spain in 2017 provoked one of the worst political crises there since the end of Francisco Franco's military dictatorship in 1975. Leaders of the wealthy Spanish region, which has a population of 7.8 million people, defied a government ban to organise an independence referendum. IMAGES
Catalonia's lawmakers arrive in parliament to vote on whether to appoint hardline independence supporter Quim Torra as regional president, after deposed leader Carles Puigdemont stepped aside from the running. IMAGES
Catalonia's parliament votes on whether to appoint hardline independence supporter Quim Torra as regional president, after deposed leader Carles Puigdemont stepped aside from the running. IMAGES
“We have won the right to an independent state, built as a republic,’ Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said in a statement in Barcelona on Sunday, following a disputed referendum on independence from Spain plagued by violence and protests. According to Catalan officials, 90% of voters backed independence from Spain. The Spanish government deemed the ballot illegal and Spanish police officers used force in an attempt to stop the vote.
"Today there was no referendum on self-determination in Catalonia," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a speech just a matter of minutes after the polls closed on a Catalan referedum for independence from Spain. Rajoy was resolute in his stance that Spain is indivisible and that the referendum would not be recognised.
Exiled former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont leaves court in Italy after an extradition hearing. The extradition warrant was issued by Spain over his role in Catalonia's failed independence bid. IMAGES