Spain’s parliament has overwhelmingly rejected Catalonia’s bid to hold a referendum on independence.
After a seven-hour debate 299 lawmakers voted against, 47 voted for and one abstained.
All the major parties, including the ruling conservative People’s Party (PP), the main opposition group, the Socialists, and the centrist Union for Progress and Democracy (UPyD), voted against the petition.
Catalan and Basque nationalist parties voted in favour.
