MADRID, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Spanish Constitutional Court has suspended a referendum law that was approved on Wednesday by the Catalan parliament, blocking the way for an Oct. 1 ballot on independence from Spain, a court source said on Thursday.

The law will be suspended while judges consider arguments that the vote breaches the country's constitution.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said earlier on Thursday he had appealed to the court to declare the referendum illegal. The constitution states Spain is indivisible. (Reporting By Tomas Cobos; Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Sonya Dowsett) </s> Spain's constitutional court has suspended a referendum law passed by the Catalan parliament to hold a vote on independence next month.

The court says it will consider whether the law breaches Spain's constitution.

Despite the decision, Catalan leaders say the vote will be held as planned on 1 October.

PM Mariano Rajoy said he had appealed to the court to declare the referendum illegal, describing the law as an "intolerable act of disobedience".

Spain's wealthy north-eastern region already has autonomous powers but the regional government says it has popular support for full secession.

Hours after the constitutional court's decision, the Catalan Parliament approved the legal framework for a transition in the case of a victory for independence.
• Will Catalonia try to secede from Spain this year?

The pro-independence majority in Catalonia's parliament passed the referendum law on Wednesday.

Mr Rajoy said that all local councils would be warned of their "obligation to impede or paralyse" any effort to carry out the vote.

"What is not legal, is not democratic," he added.

Earlier, chief prosecutor José Manuel Maza told reporters he had asked security forces to investigate what preparations, if any, the Catalan government had made to hold the referendum.

He said his office would present criminal charges against members of the Catalan parliament for voting for the referendum, and against members of the Catalan government for signing off on it.

The Catalan government has a majority in the regional parliament made up of the separatist Junts pel Si (Together for Yes) coalition and the left-wing CUP party.

Using the hash tag #josigno, mayors around Catalonia have been posting photos of themselves on Twitter signing official declarations of support for the referendum. </s> MADRID (AP) - Spanish media are reporting that the country's top court has preventively suspended the law that was meant to become Catalonia's transitional constitution if the northeastern region declares itself a separate nation.

The country's Constitutional Court has already suspended the law and decree calling for a referendum on secession while it considers the Spanish government's claim that it is unconstitutional.

Catalan leaders say they will go ahead with the Oct. 1 ballot anyway.

The state prosecutor's office said the chiefs of the three judicial police forces in Catalonia, including the regional Mossos police force, are being briefed Tuesday on their legal obligation to stop any actions toward holding a referendum.

On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Catalans marked their national holiday by supporting the right to vote and become independent.

EDS NOTE : SPANISH LAW REQUIRES THAT THE FACES OF MINORS ARE MASKED IN PUBLICATIONS WITHIN SPAIN: A boy wrapped with an "estelada" or independence flag waits for the metro at Plaza Cataluna station during the Catalan National Day, in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Some thousands of people are expected to rally in Barcelona to show their support for an independent Catalan nation and the right to vote in a controversial referendum that has been banned by Spain. (AP Photo / Santi Palacios) </s> MADRID — The simmering conflict over Catalan independence roared back to the center of Spanish attention on Tuesday, as 12 people went on trial for their roles in the botched secession attempt of 2017, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez scrambled to keep the issue from toppling his government.

The eagerly anticipated trial before the Spanish Supreme Court in Madrid has drawn enormous attention and is being broadcast live on national television, but it could soon be overshadowed by the political crisis unfolding just blocks away, in Parliament.

On Wednesday, Mr. Sánchez’s minority Socialist government faces a crucial parliamentary vote on his national budget. If a majority of lawmakers reject it, including Catalan lawmakers who have so far backed the prime minister, he will almost certainly be forced to call elections.

With Spain’s government hanging in the balance, the Supreme Court is under intense pressure to demonstrate that it can remain impartial and above politics in a case that has ignited passions and recriminations. The Catalan separatist leaders were indicted on charges that include rebellion, after holding an independence referendum and then declaring independence in October 2017 — moves the Spanish courts ruled unconstitutional. </s> MADRID, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Spain's government has asked the Spanish constitutional court to declare void a referendum law that Catalonia's separatist government is expected to pass later on Wednesday, Spain's deputy prime minister said.

Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had asked the court to challenge the law, which will approve a referendum on Catalan independence on Oct. 1, since the law goes against previous rulings.

"What is happening in the Catalan parliament is embarrassing, it's shameful," Saenz de Santamaria told reporters in Madrid.

Catalan lawmakers are due to vote on laws approving the referendum and the legal framework to set up an independent state. The laws will likely be approved because pro-independence parties have a majority in the regional parliament. (Reporting by Sonya Dowsett; Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Jesus Aguado) </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption The Spanish prime minister called the referendum law an "act of disobedience"

Spain's constitutional court has suspended a referendum law passed by the Catalan parliament to hold a vote on independence next month.

The court says it will consider whether the law breaches Spain's constitution.

Despite the decision, Catalan leaders say the vote will be held as planned on 1 October.

PM Mariano Rajoy said he had appealed to the court to declare the referendum illegal, describing the law as an "intolerable act of disobedience".

Spain's wealthy north-eastern region already has autonomous powers but the regional government says it has popular support for full secession.

Hours after the constitutional court's decision, the Catalan Parliament approved the legal framework for a transition in the case of a victory for independence.

The pro-independence majority in Catalonia's parliament passed the referendum law on Wednesday.

Mr Rajoy said that all local councils would be warned of their "obligation to impede or paralyse" any effort to carry out the vote.

"What is not legal, is not democratic," he added.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Pro-independence leaders say the vote will go ahead despite the court's decision

Earlier, chief prosecutor José Manuel Maza told reporters he had asked security forces to investigate what preparations, if any, the Catalan government had made to hold the referendum.

He said his office would present criminal charges against members of the Catalan parliament for voting for the referendum, and against members of the Catalan government for signing off on it.

The Catalan government has a majority in the regional parliament made up of the separatist Junts pel Si (Together for Yes) coalition and the left-wing CUP party.

Using the hash tag #josigno, mayors around Catalonia have been posting photos of themselves on Twitter signing official declarations of support for the referendum. </s> The Spanish government is asking the country's constitutional court to suspend a bid by leaders in Catalonia to hold a referendum on independence.

Prime minister Mariano Rajoy made the announcement after an urgent meeting with members of his cabinet.

He said the vote, planned for October 1, is illegal and an attack on Spain's and Catalonia's institutional order.

In a televised appearance, the conservative leader said the vote does not have the democratic protections needed to be considered a referendum and promised it would not take place.

He also branded a parliamentary showdown on Wednesday to approve the referendum's legal framework a "political perversion" by the leaders of the Catalan government.

Earlier, Spain's leading prosecutor said criminal suits are being lodged to prosecute Catalan officials responsible for scheduling the vote on independence.

Chief state prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza said two different lawsuits are in the works, one that seeks to punish members of Catalonia's parliament who allowed the debate and vote on the legal framework of the referendum, and a separate one against the executive branch of the regional government, whose members officially called the referendum.

He said the officials could be charged with disobedience, abuse of power and embezzlement.

The state prosecutor's office has also instructed officials and police forces in Catalonia - the north-eastern region whose capital is Barcelona - to investigate and stop any actions taken towards the celebration of the referendum. </s> Spain's government has asked the Spanish constitutional court to declare void a referendum law that Catalonia's separatist government is expected to pass later on Wednesday, Spain's deputy prime minister said.

MADRID: Spain's government has asked the Spanish constitutional court to declare void a referendum law that Catalonia's separatist government is expected to pass later on Wednesday, Spain's deputy prime minister said.

Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had asked the court to challenge the law, which will approve a referendum on Catalan independence on Oct. 1, since the law goes against previous rulings.

"What is happening in the Catalan parliament is embarrassing, it's shameful," Saenz de Santamaria told reporters in Madrid.

Catalan lawmakers are due to vote on laws approving the referendum and the legal framework to set up an independent state. The laws will likely be approved because pro-independence parties have a majority in the regional parliament. </s> MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Spanish Constitutional Court’s plenary session has accepted the government’s lawsuit filed with regard to Catalonia’s forthcoming independence referendum.

According to the Spanish EFE news agency, the Constitutional Court's extraordinary meeting started at 7 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT) to consider enacting four documents, aimed at suspending the referendum.

Catalonia’s President Carles Puigdemont, who pledged to look for an agreement on independence from Spain back in the fall of 2016, said on June 9 that the region’s independence vote would be held on October 1. The move came when, in late May, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy refused to hold talks on the terms and conditions of the referendum in which the citizens of Catalonia would decide the political future of the region.
Spain's Constitutional Court suspends the Catalan Parliament's independence referendum law to give the court time to consider whether the vote would breach the country's constitution.