The head of the executive power of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia Carles Puchdemont appointed a referendum on independence on October 1.

This is reported by the Spanish broadcaster.

According to him, the decision to hold a referendum was made unilaterally after unsuccessful attempts to agree on organizing a vote with the central government in Madrid.

The referendum participants will have to answer the question: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state with a republican form of government? ".

Previously, Catalonia prepared a mechanism that provides for immediate withdrawal from Spain, if Madrid does not allow to hold a referendum scheduled for the fall.

In February, in Barcelona, ??the trial began over the former head of the Catalan government Arthur Mas, who in November 2014, contrary to the ban of the country's constitutional court, organized an informal referendum on independence. Then over 80% voted for independence, but in a symbolic referendum, only 2.3 million people from registered 6.3 million voters.