Catalan nationalists call for vote on starting independence process

Catalonia's main nationalist parties have brought a bill to the floor of the regional parliament calling for the start of a procedure to declare independence.

Albeit in somewhat ambiguous language, that part of the bill which was not be voted upon called on the assembly to issue a declaration of independence.

Junts pel si, which itself encompassed three nationalist parties, and the CUP presented the bill, while the Ciudadanos, PP, the Socialists of the PSOE party and Catalunya Si Que es Pot reacted by saying they would not back it.

Interestingly, in terms of the popular vote garnered by both groupings in the 2015 regional elections the two would be roughly equal in numbers, assuming the same rate of voter participation as at that election.

Meanwhile, in the background, some reports indicated that 'back-channel' talks were still ongoing between the central government and nationalist officials in Catalonia.