Vote separatists out, says Spain PM

BARCELONA: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy urged Catalans on Sunday to oust separatists from their regional parliament in an early election he has called for December 21.

Rajoy’s visit to Catalonia’s main city was his first to the northeastern region since he used extraordinary powers to stifle its secession push. After Catalonia’s Parliament voted on October 27 in favour of declaring independence, Rajoy responded by firing its government, dissolving its parliament and calling the early election.

Spain’s Constitution says the nation is “indivisible.”

“It’s urgent to return a sense of normality to Catalonia and do so as soon as possible to lower the social and economic tensions,” Rajoy said on Sunday. “The threat of the separatists is destructive, sad and agonizing. Secessionism has created insecurity and uncertainty.”

“Exceptional measures can only be taken when there is no other option, and we adopted them to stop the increasing attacks to peaceful coexistence” in Catalonia, Rajoy said. “For centuries, centuries, Catalonia and Spain have built a country that is multi-cultural and diverse, and the separatists won’t be allowed to break the ties that bind us.”

Polls show a tight race ahead in Catalonia between separatists and those who want the region to remain a part of Spain.