Angela Merkel against Catalunya's independence and backs Rajoy's refusal to allow a referendum

Rajoy raised hopes among the pro-secession brigade when he appeared to cave in, arranging a meeting about the proposed referendum with regional president Artur Mas after having refused to do so for over a year and a half – but dashed them again when he reiterated that he would not support, allow or recognise a public vote over whether or not Catalunya should become a separate country. 

“I'm not going to play those games,” Rajoy stated publicly after the meeting. 

And he has the full backing of Frau Merkel, who said this weekend that she was dead against any fragmentation of European Union countries. 

“We defend the territorial integrity of all States, which is something totally different to the independence of a region,” said the Chancellor, categorically, when asked about the Catalunya issue during her annual summer press conference.

She added that she 'did not intend to get involved' in what was essentially 'an internal political dispute in Spain', but used Germany as an example to illustrate her view.

A federal system where the Länder, or regions, and local councils have a wide margin for choosing strategy and a high level of autonomy means many major issues affecting ordinary citizens in each Land and every town are decentralised, but ultimately these have the support and are under rule of the German government.

Frau Merkel was asked whether she would be willing to meet with Catalunya's president Artur Mas, or Bayern Münich trainer Pep Guardiola who was born in the region and is staunchly pro-independence, in order to understand more about the drive for sovereignty.

She dismissed this idea, saying her mind was made up that she agreed with the Spanish government's approach.

“I share Rajoy's stance on this point, but beyond that I don't want to intervene in the debate – and in any case, I'm not planning to arrange any meetings on the subject,” the Chancellor clarified.

If the north-eastern region of Spain, the capital of which is Barcelona becomes a separate country, it would automatically place itself outside the European Union and the common currency.

Mas' accountancy and legal advisors have stressed to him that the region as a separate nation would not be viable unless it could stay in the euro. 

Catalunya fully intends to go ahead with the referendum on November 9, with or without the approval of the central government.