‘Independent’ Catalonia awakens already under Madrid's control
BARCELONA — Catalonia woke up yesterday under the direct control of Madrid as the Spanish prime minister took drastic measures to quash secession, deposing the region's leaders and dissolving its parliament hours after lawmakers declared independence.
In a dramatic escalation of a political crisis that has stoked alarm in Europe and sent shockwaves through Spain, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also decided to call snap Catalan elections on December 21 to "restore normality" to a region in turmoil.
All eyes this weekend will be on whether Catalonia's separatist executive willingly steps down and independence supporters carry out their threat of peaceful resistance Madrid's takeover.
Madrid yesterday also dismissed Josep Lluis Trapero, chief of Catalonia's regional police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, a day after imposing direct control on the region, as Spain perched on a knife's edge in its worst political crisis in decades.
In the Spanish capital,
to protesters were due to hit the streets yesterday against Catalonia's declaration of independence, which, while lacking any legal basis, has caused strife in a region deeply divided on whether to split from Spain.
On Friday in Barcelona and other Catalan cities, thousands celebrated their regional parliament's motion for independence, which passed with 70 votes for, 10 against and two abstentions in a 135-seat chamber that anti-secession MPs had deserted in protest.
Demonstrators in Barcelona broke out in ecstatic shouts of: "Independence!" as the result was announced, while separatist MPs cheered, clapped and embraced before breaking out in the Catalan anthem. But others glumly assessed the fallout to what they viewed as a hugely damaging and illegal vote.
The move to take over Catalan powers is likely to anger many in a region of some 7.5 million people that enjoyed considerable autonomy, with control over its education, healthcare and police. It is the first time that the central government has curtailed regional autonomy since dictator Francisco Franco's repressive 1939-75 rule.
Independence supporters have warned they will resist the temporary measure, implemented underArticle 155 of the constitution, devised to rein in rebel regions.
Catalan leaders hold up the unregulated referendum that had been banned by the Constitutional Court as a mandate for independence, saying 90 percent voted "Yes" even if only 43 percent of voters turned out.
Speaking after the parliament proclaimed an independent republic, Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont urged activists to "maintain the momentum" in a peaceful manner.