Spain’s government has said it will trigger article 155 of the constitution, allowing it to suspend Catalonia’s political autonomy. The announcement came after Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said his parliament could vote on a formal declaration of independence if Spain continued to refuse to hold talks. Mr Puigdemont ignored a deadline to drop the independence bid, issuing a letter that demanded further dialogue just minutes before the 10am cutoff imposed by Mr Rajoy.
“If the government continues to impede dialogue and continues with the repression, the Catalan parliament could proceed, if it is considered opportune, to vote on a formal declaration of independence,” it said. Activating article 155 is an unprecedented step for the Spanish government, and an emergency cabinet meeting scheduled for Saturday will discuss what the move will involve. A government statement said it “will continue with the procedures outlined in article 155 of the Constitution to restore legality in Catalonia’s self-government.”
Catalan leadership has been locked in a standoff with Spain following an October referendum in which 90% of voters backed independence, but just 40% of the eligible population cast a ballot. In the weeks following Mr Puigdemont did not commit to a formal declaration, calling instead for further dialogue with Spain. But Mr Rajoy’s government deemed the referendum unconstitutional and refused to recognise it, threatening to suspend Catalan autonomy if the region pressed ahead with independence.
Source: Sky news
