Catalonia independence: As it happens
Catalonia’s parliament declared independence from Spain on Friday in defiance of the central government, in Madrid.
The Spanish government responded by approving direct rule in the breakaway region. The vote by the upper house on Article 155 allows Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to rule Catalonia directly.
Below all the latest updates on Friday’s declaration and the Spanish government’s response:
20:20 local time, October 27, 2017
20:10 local time, October 27, 2017
Macron: ‘There is a rule of law in Spain’
French President Emmanuel Macron has thrown his full support behind fellow European Union leader Mariano Rajoy of Spain over the independence crisis taking place in Catalonia.
During a visit to French Guiana on Friday Macron told journalists he has always had “one interlocutor in Spain, it is Prime Minister Rajoy.”
Macron added “there is a rule of law in Spain with constitutional rules. Mariano Rajoy wants these rules to be respected and he has my full support.”
20:05 local time, October 27, 2017
Official statement
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is to make a statement following a Cabinet meeting on the emergency measures with which Spain plans to take control of Catalonia following the region’s declaration of independence.
Rajoy said earlier that he plans to start by firing the Catalan government that declared independence.
18:30 local time, October 27, 2017
International reactions
UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said Britain “does not and will not” recognise the Catalan regional parliament’s declaration of independence, which “is based on a vote that was declared illegal by the Spanish courts”.
But the Scottish government, led by the pro-independence Scottish National Party, criticised Spain for refusing dialogue and said imposition of direct rule by Madrid “cannot be the solution”.
.@scotgov on #Catalonia independence declaration: “We respect position…people of Catalonia must have ability to determine own future.” https://t.co/H1pbHcixs8
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) October 27, 2017
External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop said, “the European Union has a political and moral responsibility to support dialogue to identify how the situation can be resolved peacefully and democratically”.
18:20 local time, October 27, 2017
Germany ‘does not recognise’ Catalonia independence move
Germany said on Friday it supported the Spanish government in its dispute with separatists in Catalonia and would not recognise an independence vote by the Catalan parliament.
“The German government does not recognise such a declaration of independence,” Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.
Adding that Berlin supported the “clear position” of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in his bid to restore calm and order.
18:05 local time, October 27, 2017
Extraordinary meeting
Translation: Extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers to approve the authorised measures by the @Senadoesp on the basis of article 155, Mariano Rajoy wrote.
Reunido el Consejo de Ministros extraordinario para aprobar las medidas autorizadas por el @Senadoesp al amparo del artículo 155 #CMin pic.twitter.com/ZuUs53dUTc
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) October 27, 2017
18:05 local time, October 27, 2017
Celebrations in Barcelona
Catalans packed a central square in Barcelona, ready to celebrate the arrival of a new republic after the region’s legislators voted to declare independence from Spain.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Catalan government palace, applauding officials and legislators as they arrived and entered the building.
They called for the Spanish flag to be removed from the top of the 16th-century building.
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| People wave Esteladas (Catalan separatist flags) and gather at Sant Jaume square after Catalan regional parliament declares independence from Spain in Barcelona [Reuters] |
17:50 local time, October 27, 2017
Spanish Socialist opposition leader Pedro Sanchez
Translation: “Together we have overcome adversity, and we will do it again. With law and policy. With respect to the other, dialogue and reform,” he says.
Unidos hemos superado las adversidades y lo volveremos a hacer. Con ley y política. Con el respeto al diferente, el diálogo y la reforma. pic.twitter.com/pLeVHr07BL
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 27, 2017
Translation: “Puigdemont and Junqueras are mainly responsible for fracturing and tearing apart the Catalan society. All for nothing,” Pedro Sanchez, Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) said.
#Ahorademocracia. Puigdemont y Junqueras, principales responsables de la fractura y el desgarro de la sociedad catalana. Todo para nada. pic.twitter.com/KvnMkgOwmU
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 27, 2017
17:30 local time, October 27, 2017
‘Out with the Spanish flag’
In the Catalan town of Girona, supporters of the region’s independence bid apparently removed the Spanish national flag from the town hall building and replaced it with the Catalan regional flag.
Mobile phone video footage filmed Friday in Girona, northeast of the regional capital of Barcelona, and posted on Twitter showed a crowd cheering “out, out, out with the Spanish flag!” shortly after Catalonia’s parliament voted to declare an independent republic.
Retiran la bandera de España de la fachada del Ayuntamiento de Girona https://t.co/uVIbOMLe1U pic.twitter.com/diN0cafZm4
— eldiario.es (@eldiarioes) October 27, 2017
17:39 local time, October 27, 2017
Carles Puigdemont responded:
Dialogue has been, and will always be, our choice to solve political situations and achieve peaceful solutions. @CharlesMichel https://t.co/6sRWiGfHvO
— Carles Puigdemont (@KRLS) October 27, 2017
Prime minister of Belgium wrote:
A political crisis can only be solved through dialogue. We call for a peaceful solution with respect for national and international order
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) October 27, 2017
17:15 local time, October 27, 2017
US supports the Spanish government
The US State Department says it stands in support of Spain’s government in its efforts to stop Catalonia’s independence bid.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said:
“Catalonia is an integral part of Spain, and the United States supports the Spanish government’s constitutional measures to keep Spain strong and united.”
16:45 local time, October 27, 2017
‘We must keep to our values’
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont called on fellow separatists to remain peaceful in the face of an expected crackdown by Spanish authorities after the region’s legislators voted in favour of declaring an independent Catalan Republic.
Facing a crowd of hundreds of supporters packing Catalonia’s parliament building, he said:
“In the days ahead we must keep to our values of pacificism and dignity. It’s in our, in your hands to build the republic.”
16:35 local time, October 27, 2017
Carles Puigdemont then responded Tusk:
As you know, Catalans always favour the force of arguments. #peace #democracy #dialogue https://t.co/IAcwfjUbbv
— Carles Puigdemont (@KRLS) October 27, 2017
16:20 local time, October 27, 2017
‘Spain remains our interlocutor’
Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, wrote:
For EU nothing changes. Spain remains our only interlocutor. I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) October 27, 2017
16:15 local time, October 27, 2017
Spain’s Senate has authorised the government to apply constitutional measures to take control of the government of Catalonia.
A majority of senators gave the Spanish prime minister the go-ahead Friday to apply unprecedented measures including sacking Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont and his cabinet.
The vote came shortly after the Catalan parliament itself voted in Barcelona to declare the region’s independence.
15:45 local time, October 27, 2017
‘I call on Spaniards to remain calm’
Spain’s prime minister urged all citizens to remain calm after Catalonia’s parliament approved a motion declaring the region a republic independent from Spain.
Rajoy wrote: “I call on all Spaniards to remain calm. The rule of law will restore legality to Catalonia.”
Pido tranquilidad a todos los españoles. El Estado de Derecho restaurará la legalidad en Cataluña. MR
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) October 27, 2017
Rajoy’s tweet came as the Spanish Senate in Madrid prepared to approve government proposals to take direct control of region Catalonia.
15:40 local time, October 27, 2017
Thousands of people who have gathered outside Catalonia’s parliament building in support of the region’s independence bid cheered and danced after the parliament passed a motion saying it wanted to establish an independent Catalan Republic.
BREAKING: Catalan’s parliament just voted to split from Spain. pic.twitter.com/Siu7ilBYkD
— AJ (@ajplus) October 27, 2017
15:35 local time, October 27, 2017
Catalonia’s regional parliament passed a motion saying they are establishing an independent Catalan Republic.
Separatist legislators celebrated as the vote was approved with 70 votes in favour of independence, 10 against and two blank ballots.
Spain opposes the independence bid and the central government in Madrid is readying measures to take over control of the northeastern region. No country has expressed support for the secession bid.
