Moves for direct rule over Catalans
SPAIN: 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 final deadline to back away from declaring independence.
Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, had demanded Puigdemont clarify by 10am Thursday (local time) 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 Rajoy, 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 Puigdemont’s statement was an admission that a declaration had not yet taken place.
Imigo Mendez de Vigo, the government’s spokesman, was clear that 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 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. – Telegraph Group