Thousands in Spain attend a mass march to reaffirm their support for Catalonia’s independence from Madrid ahead of legislative polls in the region.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo warns Catalans against opting for independence.

Pro-independence leaders in Catalonia agree on September 27 for what they see as proxy vote on independence.

Catalan pro-independence leaders have sent a clear message to supporters and opponents of their campaign. They say they're ready to declare unilateral independence if they achieve success in September's regional elections. Spain's conservative national government fiercely opposes independence for Catalonia. However, an alliance of pro-independence parties wants the regional vote to serve as a de facto referendum by running on a joint ticket, and campaigning on the single issue of independence. The rich northeastern region accounts for a fifth of Spain's output. But many Catalans say they get a raw deal from the way their taxes are redistributed to the rest of Spain.