Catalan independence: Spain seizes powers back from Barcelona as PM moves to dismiss Catalan leaders

Eleanor Rose21 October 2017

The Spanish government has seized powers from Barcelona and moved to dismiss Catalan leaders following weeks of heightened tensions triggered by the region's independence referendum.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says he wants the Senate to give him direct power to dissolve the regional Catalan government and to call an early election as soon as possible.

Mr Rajoy said after meeting with his Cabinet on Saturday that the central government needs to take the unprecedented step of assuming control of Catalonia to "restore order" in the face of a secession effort backed by the regional government.

He is proposing that the powers of Catalan officials be taken over by central government ministers.

The special cabinet meeting came three weeks after the October 1 independence referendum, which Spain's supreme court has ruled illegal.

The raft of measures also follows an intervention by King Felipe VI in which he slammed what he called an "unacceptable secession attempt".

The Cabinet meeting was announced on Friday only minutes after Catalonia's leader threatened to explicitly declare independence if no talks were offered by Madrid.

Carles Puigdemont’s warning was contained in a letter to Mr Rajoy shortly before the expiry of a 10am deadline set by the central government for him to backtrack on his calls for secession.

“If the central government persists in impeding dialogue and continuing its repression, Catalonia’s parliament will proceed ... with a vote to formally declare independence,” Mr Puigdemont’s letter said.

Mr Rajoy said Article 155 of Spain’s 1978 constitution would be triggered, allowing it to take over the running of the region.

Article 155 has never been invoked in the four decades since democracy was restored at the end of General Franco’s dictatorship.

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