Spanish government suspends Catalan autonomy
Spanish government decides to impose direct rule in Catalonia
Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, and his government held an emergency cabinet meeting this morning. The result of this meeting is the invocation of one of the hardest articles of the Spanish Constitution, the article 155.
The objective of the application of this article is to “restore the rule of law, coexistence, the economic recovery and so that elections could be held in normal circumstances”, Rajoy said.
This petition must be approved for the Spanish Senate by an absolute majority. The biggest part of senate’s members is from the same political party as Mariano Rajoy so the article 155 may be applied next Friday.
“We are not ending Catalan autonomy, but we are relieving of their duties those who have acted outside the law,” said Spanish PM. But this is not what the measures they may apply suggest. Spanish government may assume all autonomous competencies from Catalan state media to Catalan police, Mossos d’Esquadra.
The deadline set by Madrid for Puigdemont to clarify whether he declared, on 10 October, the independence of Catalonia or not, expired last Thursday. The Catalan president did not answer yes or no, instead he threatened to unilaterally declare the independence if the Spanish government appealed the article 155.
Today at 9 p.m. Carles Puigdemont will answer to this fact. If he declares unilaterally the independence, he will be charged with “rebellion”, a crime that would suppose a maximum of 30 years in prison.
