Fury on the streets as PM vows to ‘take back Catalonia’
THE Spanish government yesterday set out plans to strip Catalonia of its autonomy, sack its government and call fresh elections within six months – plunging the country into further constitutional strife.
In a desperate bid to thwart a breakaway by the region, Spain’s prime minister Mariano Rajoy took the radical step of triggering article 155 of the Spanish constitution to impose direct rule over Catalonia.
Coming just three weeks after a disputed independence referendum descended into violence, the government’s move marked the first time direct rule has been imposed since the restoration of democracy in 1977.
Observers say the move could raise the spectre of Basque nationalism and have repercussions across a Europe that is facing the rise of nationalist and separatist movements. Yesterday, thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona to demonstrate against the move to suspend autonomy – as well as the jailing of independence leaders Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.
In a press conference, Mr Rajoy said the government had no choice but to impose direct rule from Madrid because the Catalan government’s actions were ‘contrary to the law and seeking confrontation’. He added: ‘We are triggering Article 155 because no government of any democratic country, I insist – none – can accept that the law is ignored.’
The authorities are also preparing to charge Catalan president Carles Puigdemont with rebellion if he declares independence and to take control of Catalonia’s Mossos police force.
Barcelona football club president Josep Maria Bartomeu sided with the separatists. He said: ‘The fact that people have been imprisoned for their political ideas is unacceptable in the 21st century.’