Powers of Catalan Administration Will Be Transferred to Central Government

Rajoy declared on Saturday that the government wants to dissolve the Catalan parliament and call a snap election to restore order in the region, RT reported.

He added that Madrid is not revoking Catalonia’s autonomy but merely removing local leaders whose actions were against the law.

Rajoy stressed that the government was seeking unprecedented constitutional authority to ”restore order” in Catalonia.

The government did not initially want or intend to rule Catalonia directly, according to Rajoy, but took this unprecedented step to ensure that public services and the economy remain functional.

The snap election will take place in six months, the Prime Minister underlined. The measures taken by Madrid are expected to be approved now by Spain's Upper House (the Senate) on October 27.

Rajoy requested the Senate authorize him to dissolve the Catalan government. Central government ministers will assume the powers of Catalonia’s officials, Rajoy underscored.

His cabinet has invoked Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution which allows Madrid to intervene and impose direct rule when one of Spain's seventeen autonomies does not abide by the law.

The leader of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont is expected take part in a protest later in the day and address the Spanish government's decision in a speech. Earlier, Puigdemont had threatened to call a vote in the regional parliament for an open declaration of independence from Spain.

In Madrid Pablo Echenique, of the far-left PODEMOS opposition party, called for the ousting of Rajoy and his conservative government.