Still celebrating the separatist camp’s victory in Catalonia’s local elections this weekend, regional President Artur Mas has now been summoned to face possible ‘civil disobedience’ charges over the organisation of an earlier, unauthorised vote on breaking away from Spain.

The move will further raise tensions with Madrid where Mariano Rajoy’s government firmly rejects Catalonia’s aspirations to go-it-alone.

Mas and two members of his former regional administration will be questioned over last November’s unofficial, symbolic ballot on independence.

Held in defiance of a Constitutional Court ruling, it saw voters back a split from Spain.