Barcelona/Madrid - The Madrid government
sacked Catalonia's president and dismissed its parliament on
Friday, hours after the region declared itself an independent
nation, in Spain's gravest political crisis since the return of
democracy four decades ago.
A new election will be held in Catalonia on December 21, Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address on a day of
high drama.
As well as removing Carles Puigdemont as head of the
autonomous region, he also fired the police chief and said
central government ministries would take over the Catalan
administration.
"Spain is living through a sad day," Rajoy said. "We believe
it is urgent to listen to Catalan citizens, to all of them, so
that they can decide their future and nobody can act outside the
law on their behalf."
As he spoke thousands of independence supporters packed the
Sant Jaume Square in front of the Catalan regional headquarters
in Barcelona, their earlier celebratory mood dampened by Rajoy's
actions.
In a stunning show of defiance to Madrid, the Catalan
parliament had voted in the afternoon to make a unilateral
declaration of independence.
Despite the emotions and celebrations inside and outside the
building, it was a futile gesture as shortly afterwards the
Spanish Senate approved the imposition of direct rule on the
autonomous region.
Several European countries, including France and Germany,
and the United States also rejected the independence declaration
and said they supported Rajoy's efforts to preserve Spain's
unity.
The crisis has reached a new and possibly dangerous level as
independence supporters have called for a campaign of
disobedience. Immediately after news of the Catalan vote, which
three opposition parties boycotted, Spanish shares and bonds
were sold off, reflecting business concern over the turmoil.
The crisis unfolded after Catalonia held an independence
referendum on Oct. 1 which was declared illegal by Madrid.
Although it endorsed independence, it drew only a 43 percent
turnout as Catalans who oppose independence largely boycotted
it.
The independence push has caused deep resentment around
Spain. The chaos has also prompted a flight of business from
Catalonia and alarmed European leaders who fear the crisis could
fan separatist sentiment around the continent.
Catalonia is one of Spain's most prosperous regions and
already has a high degree of autonomy. But it has a litany of
historic grievances, exacerbated during the 1939-1975 Franco
dictatorship, when its culture and politics were suppressed.
In Barcelona, Jordi Cases, 52, a farmer from Lleida province
who had driven down with his family for the protest, said he was
excited but worried about what came next.
"Now the repression is going to be terrible but we have to
take what we can. We must resist and ask for help where needed,"
he said.