Catalonia votes on motion calling for right to decide political status

Catalonia´s parliament on Wednesday votes on a resolution that calls for the region´s right to decide its own political status, setting the stage for a growing political battle with Madrid, which has vowed to block any independence referendum in the courts.

The motion is backed by the ruling Convergence nationalist party and the radical Republican Left, or ERC, but is opposed by the conservative Popular Party (PP), which holds an absolute majority in Madrid´s central parliament, and by the opposition Socialists.

A deep recession and unemployment have stoked separatism in the powerful northeastern region of Catalonia, which generates one-fifth of the country's economy and has its own language and distinct culture.

Polls show an overwhelming majority in Catalonia want a referendum on independence, highlighting increasing dissatisfaction with Spain's central government as it struggles with economic crisis..

Catalonia´s regional president Artur Mas has pledged to push ahead with a planned sovereignty referendum.

A referendum has been rejected by Madrid, which says it would be against the constitution, introduced in 1978 to underpin Spain's transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco.

Growing separatism is Catalonia -- where many argue they are unfairly treated by the central government and could better manage their finances on their own -- is a political headache for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is struggling to keep Spain's finances on track and the European Union´s highest unemployment rate.