Most towns back referendum as court readies 1,000 warnings to mayors and officials

Most local governments in Catalonia will back the referendum to be held on October 1. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, announced on Thursday evening that 560 out of the 948 towns in the country have already confirmed that they will back the vote and help with the logistics. Puigdemont’s cabinet expects all local governments to provide sites for polling stations, as they always do in ordinary elections.

Around 60% of Catalan towns already back the referendum, Barcelona still a question mark

The Catalan executive gave all mayors 48 hours to answer its appeal for collaboration with the vote. While around 60% of them welcomed the call within the first 24 hours, some already rejected it, especially after the Spanish Constitutional Court suspended the vote on Thursday night. For instance, the third most populated town in the country, Badalona, with 215,000 inhabitants, confirmed support. Meanwhile, Mataró, with a population of 125,000, stopped preparations after the court’s suspension. Some citizens in the town held a demonstration to back the vote on Thursday evening.

Some local governments have not made up their minds yet, including Barcelona which is the most important one still hesitating. Mayor Ada Colau said on Thursday that her officials are still considering taking part in the vote’s logistics. Although its aim is that everyone vote at the same polling stations as usual, Puigdemont’s executive is preparing a list of alternative sites in case some particular local council is not willing to collaborate. It is expected that all polling stations will be revealed within ten days before October 1.

Mayors’ mailboxes might be a bit busier than usual these days. Apart from receiving a note from the Catalan president, they also got another from Madrid on Thursday. Spanish President Rajoy warned all of them that the referendum is illegal. In addition, all mayors are about to get yet another communication coming from the Spanish capital.

Constitutional Court warnings to officials, mayors, police and media

The Spanish Constitutional Court suspended the referendum law and decree on Thursday night and announced that it would shortly afterwards send a notification to all mayors in the country. Letters are also to be sent to all Catalan government members, the Parliament bureau, directors of public media and some 60 officials, including the Catalan police chief. That means that in the coming hours, it will send more than 1,000 warnings to significant figures in Catalonia.

Puigdemont’s executive has launched a register for people to collaborate in executing the vote. More than 16,000 people have joined the initiative in less than 24 hours, and the Constitutional Court’s warnings might also apply to them.

The Spanish government met again this Friday and took the transition law—passed in the early hours of Friday—to the Constitutional Court, as it did with the referendum law and decree. It also took the structure of the Catalan tax office. The judges might suspend the transition law Friday evening. 

September 11 independence march

With the tension between Catalan government and Spain heating up, the organizers of a pro-independence march to be held on September 11 announced on Friday that 360,000 people have already registered for the demonstration. It will take place in Barcelona and so far 1,800 coaches will transport people from around the country to the capital.