Barcelona-based La Vanguardia said Puigdemont had taken the decision in a bid to persuade the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy not to enforce direct rule in the region. Puigdemont will deliver an address at 1.30 p.m (1130 GMT), his office said. Demand for Spanish debt and shares jumped on the news of a potential election in Catalonia. His government said earlier this week that calling a snap election would not be enough, and Puigdemont would also have to withdraw an ambiguous declaration of independence he made on Oct. 10. An opinion poll published by the El Periodico newspaper on Sunday showed a snap election would probably have results similar to the last ballot, in 2015, when a coalition of pro-independence parties formed a minority government.

Source: bd News24 October 26, 2017 11:26 UTC