Catalonia’s separatists were planning their response Sunday after Spain took drastic steps to stop the region from breaking away by dissolving its separatist government and forcing new elections. “Yesterday there was a fully-fledged coup against Catalan institutions,” said Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull. “What happens now, with everyone in agreement and unity, is that we will announce what we will do and how,” he told Catalunya Radio. Among other repressive measures, Franco – who ruled from 1939 until 1975 – took Catalonia’s powers away and banned official use of the Catalan language. Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party (PP) holds a majority in the upper house, while other major parties also back his efforts to prevent a break-up of the nation.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 22, 2017 15:11 UTC