Catalonia Q& A

Is Catalonia independent?

No. At least not yet. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont declared independence after a vote in the region’s Parliament but it has not been recognised by Spain or the EU. He was then formally removed from post as Spain imposed direct rule over Catalonia.

That sounds confusing. Who should we listen to?

The main players are Mr Puigdemont, who yesterday urged “peaceful opposition” to Spain’s formal takeover of Catalonia, and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is calling the shots from Madrid. There is a massive gulf between the two so a third, neutral, party could prove key to resolving this dispute. Many thought that would be the EU, but it has come down firmly in favour of Spain.

How did we get here?

After the referendum on October 1, which Spain declared illegal and tried to stop using police force, Mr Puigdemont signed a declaration of independence but delayed implementation to allow talks with the Spanish government. A deadline set by Madrid for him to clarify his intentions came and went and Mr Rajoy announced his plans to impose direct rule.

What happens next?

That is mainly up to Madrid. It has ordered regional elections to be held on December 21 and has lots of legal powers. Options include taking control of the region’s finances, police and publicly owned media.

Could the Catalan political leaders be arrested?

Maybe. The Spanish prosecutor is preparing a case for tomorrow but it is still a possibility that Mr Puigdemont cold be detained by authorities.