MADRID (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has described as "authoritarian delirium" plans by the ruling parties in the northeastern Catalonia region to declare independence from Spain within 48 hours of a promised referendum Oct. 1, if voters say "yes."

Rajoy told a business meeting Wednesday that Spaniards and Catalans could rest assured that the "confrontational' gestures of the pro-independence parties will never win over the democratic state.

He was speaking a day after Catalonia's governing parties presented details of a proposed law to cover the planned referendum. The law says if the "yes" vote wins, independence will be declared within two days regardless of the vote's turnout percentage.

Spain has pledged there will be no referendum because it violates the country's constitution.