Spain’s socialist party seems ready to form a coalition government after inconclusive elections in July. But to do so, they’ve had to promise to grant amnesty to fugitive Catalan separatists for their attempt to break away from Spain in 2017. The Catalan separatists' party has become kingmaker, but folks on the right say the deal threatens Spain’s democracy.
The Catalan Parliament approved the region becoming a republic, but the Spanish government is moving to take back control.
The conflict between proponents of Catalan independence and Spanish unity has reached a head this week, as Catalan President Carles Puigdemont continues to threaten to declare unilateral independence while Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy takes steps to revoke the region’s autonomy. Almost daily pro- and anti-independence rallies throughout the country echo the leadership’s division, only ratcheting tensions.
Catalonia's parliament will hold a plenary session on Thursday to decide its response to the central government's move to dismiss the region's government while other independence activists have promised civil disobedience.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Saturday that his government will move to dismiss Catalonia's separatist government and call fresh elections in the region in a bid to stop its leaders from declaring independence.
Spain's vow Thursday to take over at least part of Catalonia's regional powers due to its drive for independence would involve triggering the never before used Article 155 of Spain's constitution.
Spain's government vowed to examine "all options" Wednesday in a crisis cabinet meeting hours after Catalonia's leaders said they had a mandate to declare independence but put it on hold, plunging the country into unknown territory.
Spain's worst political crisis in a generation comes to a head on Tuesday as Catalonia's leader could declare independence from Madrid in a move likely to send shock waves through Europe.
Journalist Gerry Hadden offers a firsthand look, from a Barcelona polling center, at Spanish police's violent operations to disrupt the outlawed referendum on Catalan independence.