Spanish judge suspends Catalonia independence poll

Spain's Constitutional Court has unanimously suspended an informal poll that had been set for Sunday on independence in the relatively prosperous northeastern region of Catalonia, the court said Tuesday.

Catalonian authorities had hoped to hold the informal “consultation of citizens” after the court suspended another official referendum on independence from Madrid. Both rulings followed requests by the central government to postpone the independence-driven polls.

It's not clear if the latest suspension will have much effect. 

Catalonia's regional government accuses the central government of restricting Catalans' democratic rights and insisted Tuesday there would still be a vote. It has recruited 40,000 volunteers and hopes to stage the vote in schools and other regionally-run centers.

Catalan authorities agree that only those in favor of independence are likely to try to vote Sunday. They say, however, they will have a result Monday but admit the vote will have little or no meaning beyond that of a symbolic protest.

Secessionist sentiment surged during Spain's economic stagnation and amid discontent at Spain's refusal to give the region more autonomy and fiscal powers. Catalonia, with about 7.5 million inhabitants and Barcelona as its capital, is one of Spain's wealthiest regions.

Spain's government, backed by parliament, deems any such poll as anti-constitutional, arguing that only the central government has the power to call such referendums and all Spaniards must be allowed to vote.

The Catalan move is Europe's latest secession attempt following a Scottish independence poll in September on separating from Britain, which resulted in a No vote.

Al Jazeera and wire services