Catalonia governing alliance splits over independence

Disagreements over how to push for independence in Catalonia drove the Spanish region's 37-year-old governing alliance to split apart on Thursday, leaders said.

The two parties forming the conservative CiU coalition both want the northeastern region to follow Scotland's example by voting on whether to become an independent state -- a move fiercely opposed by the Spanish government.

One half of the coalition, regional president Artur Mas's Catalonia Democratic Alignment (CDC) party, wants to hold a regional election as a plebiscite on outright independence.

Its moderate allies in the Catalonia Democratic Union (UDC) however support a new form of statehood but without breaking away totally from the rest of Spain.

"There is fundamental disagreement over CiU's political programme," the CDC's deputy leader Josep Rull told a news conference. "CiU's political alliance is over."

The CDC "is entering a new phase and we want to explain to the citizens of Catalonia that our commitment to independence is most sincere," he added.

His announcement confirmed the end of the coalition after UDC members quit their posts in the regional government on Wednesday.

CiU was formed in 1978, the year Spain's new constitution was signed to seal the country's transition after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, with a new system of central and regional governments.

Mas is planning to hold a regional election on September 27 so Catalans can vote on his proposals for independence.

He tried to hold a referendum on independence last September but that was blocked by the national courts after the Spanish government appealed against it.

Mas says if pro-independence parties win in September he will seek talks with the Spanish government and the European Union with a view to holding a straight referendum within 18 months.

UDC broke ranks with Mas by calling for talks with the Spanish government to agree a statehood solution under Spanish law, which forbids independence referendums.