Turmoil as Madrid impose direct rule after Catalan vote
SPAIN was plunged into political crisis yesterday as Madrid responded to Catalonia’s vote for independence by moving to impose direct rule on the region.
Thousands waving Catalan flags took to the streets in Barcelona, streaming on to Las Ramblas to celebrate the regional parliament’s decision to break away from Spain.
However, just 40 minutes after the secession was declared, Madrid’s upper house handed ministers unprecedented power to take control of the region, leading to fears of violence amid the political turmoil.
Last night, Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy sacked the Catalan government and called a snap election for December 21.
After a special cabinet meeting, he said the Madrid government would also fire the head of the regional police, shut down Catalonia’s foreign affairs department and dismiss its delegates in Brussels and Madrid. ‘We never wanted it to come to this point,’ Mr Rajoy said.
Nationalists in the town of Girona pulled down the Spanish flag from the town hall – replacing it with the Catalan flag.
Mr Puigdemont, who also called for peace in the days ahead, was last night threatened with criminal charges for ‘rebellion’ – carrying a maximum 30-year prison sentence.
Last night, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin issued a statement saying Ireland would not accept the result of the Catalan referendum as a mandate for independence.
In a statement it said: ‘We are all concerned about the crisis in Catalonia. It is for all Spaniards – all Catalans and all Spaniards – to shape their own constitutional and political arrangements, through their own democratic institutions and laws.
‘Ireland respects the constitutional and territorial integrity of Spain. Any decision on a question as important as independence requires legitimacy both in the broadest possible political terms and in terms of the legal framework.’
The UK government also refused to recognise the declaration of secession. However, the SNP-led Scottish government said it ‘understood and respected’ the vote and called for Catalonia to be allowed to determine its own future.
Amid fears of widespread protests, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker issued a stark warning about ‘more cracks, more splits’ in the bloc. He said: ‘We already have enough splits and fractures and we do not need any more.’
The Catalan parliament’s decision to call the vote at short notice followed the controversial independence vote earlier this month that Madrid tried to shut down with heavy-handed police tactics.
While the ballot was 90% in favour of independence, turnout was just 43%. The move to start a ‘process’ to split with Spain was passed by 70 votes to ten yesterday, though many pro-unity politicians boycotted the ballot in the 135-seat chamber.
Mr Puigdemont’s ruling coalition decided to call the vote at short notice after he decided against an outright declaration of independence or a fresh election.
The decision to take control – made under article 155 of the Spanish constitution – is the first time Madrid will directly run one of the country’s 17 semi-autonomous regions.
Despite criticism of the EU’s response, European Council president Donald Tusk said the situation ‘changed nothing’ and the bloc would hold talks with Madrid alone.
‘It’s in your hands to build the republic’