Spain Showdown: Catalan Parliament To Decide On Independence Tomorrow, Chaos To Follow
Puigdemont made the announcement before a scheduled appearance before the Catalan Parliament on Thursday evening. According to the NYT, he said he made the decision after he had failed to secure a commitment from the central government that it would not take control of the region if he called early elections.
“There are none of the guarantees that justify convening elections today,” Mr. Puigdemont said during a brief televised address from his government headquarters. “I tried to obtain the guarantees,” he added, but “I didn’t get a responsible answer from the Spanish government, which has instead used this option to add to the tension.”
He added: “It is now for Parliament to decide its answer to the application” of Article 155 of the national Constitution.
While the Catalan Parliament – where separatists parties have a small but critical majority – may meet later Thursday, it will be the vote on a declaration of independence on Friday that will be most closely watched; meanwhile, the Spanish Senate is expected to approve emergency measures to impose Madrid’s direct rule on Catalonia.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
