Spain prepares for direct rule over Catalonia

Street protest and strikes planned as Madrid pledges to impose constitutional order after ‘illegal’ vote

The Spanish government is preparing to take the so-called “nuclear option” of suspending Catalonia’s autonomy, after Carles Puigdemont, the region’s president, missed a deadline issued by Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister, to back away from declaring independence.

THE Spanish government was yesterday preparing to take the so-called “nuclear option” of suspending Catalonia’s autonomy, after Carles Puigdemont, the region’s president, missed a final deadline to back away from declaring independence.

Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, had demanded Mr Puigdemont clarify by 10am yesterday that he had not made a unilateral declaration of independence or Madrid would trigger Article 155 to override the authorities in the autonomous region.

His government will meet tomorrow to move forward with the constitutional tool, which has never been used and is likely to draw a furious backlash from the independence movement.

In a letter to Mr Rajoy, Mr Puigdemont said that if Madrid did not agree to dialogue and stop the “repression” in Catalonia, “the Catalan parliament could proceed, if it considers it opportune, to vote on the formal declaration of independence on which it did not vote on October 10”.

Miguel Iceta, the head of the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC), said Mr Puigdemont’s statement was an admission that a declaration had not yet taken place. But he lamented the “threat” that it could soon come, which he said made dialogue “very difficult”.

Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, the government’s spokesman, was clear that Mr Puigdemont had refused to meet the government’s request. “Let nobody doubt that the Government will put all methods in its reach to restore legality and constitutional order and stop the economic deterioration due to the instability that the heads of the Generalitat are provoking in Catalonia,” he said.

The Spanish government will now

‘Let nobody doubt that the Government will put all methods in its reach to restore legality and constitutional order’

formulate its plans for Catalonia which will be put to a Senate vote. Article 155 provides for “all measures necessary” to ensure constitutional order.

The Catalan government and independence movement has vowed to mount a fierce resistance. Already galvanised by the jailing of two independence leaders on charges of sedition, pro-secession groups called for a massive street mobilisation.

The Catalan National Assembly (ANC), and Omnium Cultural – whose leaders, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, were sent to prison on Monday – have announced a major demonstration tomorrow to coincide with the Article 155 meeting. They were also expected to call other protests, such as strikes, while the CUP, a hard-left alliance partner, has announced a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience.

The Catalan government and independence groups have repeatedly called on the European Union to step in over what they say is a violation of fundamental rights by the Spanish government.

However, as Mr Rajoy yesterday travelled to Brussels for a European Council meeting, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said the solution must be “based on the Spanish constitution”, while Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said the summit should “be marked by a message of unity around member states amid the crises they could face, unity around Spain”.