Spain to dismiss Catalan govt, call fresh elections

Madrid/Barcelona: Spain announced on Saturday that it will move to dismiss Catalonia’s separatist government and call fresh elections in the semi-autonomous region in a bid to stop its leaders from declaring independence.

The drastic escalation of Spain’s worst political crisis in decades will see separatist leader Carles Puigdemont and his administration stripped of their jobs, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters after a crisis meeting of his Cabinet.

Mr Puigdemont’s threat to declare independence “has been unilateral, contrary to the law, and seeking confrontation,” said Mr Rajoy, adding that he will seek approval from the Senate — where his conservatives hold an absolute majority — for permission to dissolve the Catalan Parliament and call elections within six months.

In the meantime, the jobs of Mr Puigdemont and his team will be carried out by Spain’s national ministers, Mr Rajoy said.

Mr Puigdemont was due to respond at 9 pm (2100 GMT). In Barcelona, independence supporters took to their balconies banging their pots and pans in protest at Mr Rajoy’s decision.

Autonomy is a highly sensitive issue in wealthy Catalonia, which saw its powers taken away under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

Home to 7.5 million people, the north-eastern region fiercely defends its language and culture and enjoys control over its policing, education and healthcare.

In a crisis that has rattled stock markets and worried a European Union that is already struggling with Brexit, Catalonia held a banned independence referendum on October 1, with Mr Puigdemont threatening to declare a breakaway state based on its results.

Under Article 155 of Spain’s constitution, Madrid enjoys powers to wrest back control of rebellious regions, but it has never used them before. Mr Rajoy said he had made the decision reluctantly but had no choice in his battle to keep the country together.

“This was neither our desire nor our intention,” he said, adding, “We are applying Article 155 because the government of a democratic country cannot accept that the law is ignored.”

He also insisted that the measures did not amount to “suspending Catalonia’s autonomy or self-government”, saying it was those who have jeopardised these rights “who are being stopped”.