Catalonia calls off referendum on seeking independence from Spain

Catalonia is looking for alternatives after an independence referendum was called off with the region's president suggesting a snap election could be held to let the Spanish region vote on the controversial issue.

Catalonia leader Artur Mas' change of tack fuelled divisions in the pro-independence camp, raising the Spanish government's hopes of winning the standoff with the wealthy northeastern region.

Catalan leaders had agreed on Monday that the non-binding vote they had called in the wake of Scotland's independence referendum could not go ahead in its current form.

That announcement was hailed as "excellent news" by Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is fiercely opposed to a ballot on Catalonia breaking away from Spain.

But yesterday Mas vowed Catalonia would go ahead with a vote on November 9 under an alternative legal framework to get around a ruling by Spain's Constitutional Court which suspended it.

Mas said the symbolic vote could be one step towards an early regional election which could serve as a plebiscite on sovereignty, with pro-independence parties standing in a joint list.

"Since the consensus is now broken ... that is the definitive means to hold a consultation vote," Mas said.