Catalonia’s independence referendum: the stage is set for yet another political and legal battle

A referendum on Catalan independence is set to take place on 1 October. Paul Anderson traces the change in tack in Catalonia, where polls have started to record a sharp upturn in favour of independence over the past seven years, bolstered by the Rajoy government’s refusal to engage in dialogue. A ‘Yes’ vote is unlikely, but not impossible: it would not be accepted by Madrid, and the EU would come to play an important role.