Catalan leader faces hardliners’ rebellion

A BREAKAWAY Catalonia would cause a domino effect that could splinter the EU, Jean-claude Juncker warned yesterday as the Catalan president faced a rebellion from independence hardliners.

The crucial far-left partner in Carles Puigdemont’s government wrote an open letter demanding he affirm that he has declared independence from Spain.

The Spanish government insisted Mr Puigdemont clarify by 10am on Monday if he has formally declared an independent Catalan Republic after he announced and then suspended secession on Tuesday.

The announcement dismayed independence hardliners, who are clamouring for the unequivocal declaration that carries with it the threat of the suspension of Catalonia’s autonomy.

The far Left CUP, whose 10 parliamentary seats are indispensable to the government’s majority, meets today to decide whether to withdraw its support until Mr Puigdemont pushes ahead with the declaration, a move that would leave the opposition in control of parliament.

Mr Juncker warned that if Catalonia was allowed to separate, others would follow. “I would not like an EU that in 15 years consisted of 98 states,” Mr Juncker said.

The Spanish government urged Mr Puigdemont to resist pressure from hardliners and “seize the last opportunity for dialogue”.