MADRID—Catalonia's regional parliament has voted to stage a referendum on self-determination with a view to possibly seceding from Spain but the national government has warned it will have it stopped by the country's top court.

The parliament voted Thursday to hold the referendum after regional elections Nov. 25.

However, deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said such a referendum would be unconstitutional and will be halted.

Catalonia president Artur Mas called early elections and proposed the referendum after Spain recently rejected a demand to grant the region special fiscal powers.

Mas this month led a massive pro-independence rally in Barcelona that was seen as a show of strength and a warning to Madrid.

Catalonia is Spain's most economically powerful region, but also the recession-stricken country's most indebted.