Government starts preparations for the referendum while Madrid appeals to court

The Catalan Government started to implement the referendum law and decree early Thursday morning after a 12-hour session in Parliament on Wednesday, followed by a late-night signing of the decree officially calling the vote. The executive sent a letter to all of Catalonia's mayors to inform them that it expects local governments to facilitate sites for the polling stations, as they do in ordinary elections. Local city and town councils will have 48 hours to respond, but some mayors have already signed decrees backing the vote and committing themselves to providing any logistics required by the referendum law. The Spanish government also sent a letter to all local governments warning that the vote is illegal under Spanish law. 

Almost 800 local governments out of a total of 948 are openly in favor of independence, so they are indeed expected to facilitate sites for the polling stations. “100% unconditional support,” pledged Neus Lloveras, the president of the entity comprising these 800 towns. The government is preparing a list of alternative sites in case some particular local council is not willing to collaborate.

Institutional ad to promote turnout 

Citizens can also note that the referendum has been called because the government has launched an institutional campaign in order to promote turnout. The spot, which the Catalan TV public broadcaster has already broadcast, features a train facing a crossroads. "You were born with the ability to decide. Will you give it up? Now, more than ever, the future of Catalonia is in your hands. Take part! Referendum on October 1," says the narrator.  

Details on the vote logistics disclosed

The Catalan executive is expected to hold the draw to appoint polling supervisors within a week. The polling stations will be disclosed 10 days before October 1, according to the decree regulating the referendum. The decree also specifies the list of voters that will be used and other details related to the logistics which had not yet been announced, including the way voters living abroad will be able to vote. The election campaign will start on September 15 at midnight and will conclude on September 29.

The Catalan Parliament appointed the Electoral Board members in the early hours of Thursday, after President Puigdemont and his ministers signed the decree calling the vote on Wednesday at 11.30 pm.

Spanish government sends referendum law and decree to Constitutional Court

All the events in Catalonia surrounding the referendum developing during Wednesday and Thursday were being closely followed in Madrid. Indeed, the Spanish government held an extraordinary meeting on Thursday afternoon to appeal the referendum law and decree before the Constitutional Court, which is expected to ban both of them within hours. "I warn the main officials of the Catalan government to not follow this path towards this institutional cliff and to not scorn the Spanish democracy’s power," said Spanish president Mariano Rajoy after holding a cabinet meeting.  

After that, the referendum will be outside Spanish law and all eyes will be on Puigdemont’s executive to know whether it will go on with the vote. “No one has the authority or the power to confiscate our right to decide. We will not let this right be taken away,” said Puigdemont right after officially calling the vote.