Catalan Separatists Plan Parliament Debate Monday, Defying Spain

(Bloomberg) -- The leader of the most powerful civic group in the Catalan separatist movement said the regional parliament intends to meet as planned Monday, defying a suspension by Spain's Constitutional Court.

Jordi Sanchez, who heads the Catalan National Assembly, said that lawmakers may need to gather in an alternative venue, but that the debate on an illegal referendum on independence from Spain will take place. Sanchez collaborates closely with Regional President Carles Puigdemont and the speaker in the Catalan legislature, Carme Forcadell. He helped organize the vote on Oct. 1.

“There will be some formula for the Catalan Parliament to convene and hold its meeting as planned,” Sanchez said in an interview in Barcelona. “There will be a plenary session.”

While separatists are split on whether to declare independence next week, they are agreed that they need to hold the session on Monday to sustain the momentum in their campaign.

To contact the reporter on this story: Esteban Duarte in Barcelona at eduarterubia@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alan Crawford at acrawford6@bloomberg.net, Ben Sills, Todd White