The European Parliament's president says that Spain's decision to call a new election in Catalonia after the region's unilateral declaration of independence "was the right thing to do." Puigdemont's appearance on public regional TV3 broadcaster showed him speaking from a podium with the official emblem of the Catalan regional government. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has ordered the dissolution of the Catalan regional parliament and called a new regional election for Dec. 21. The move early Saturday came after separatist Catalan lawmakers passed a declaration of independence on Friday. Only the director of the Catalan regional police, who was also fired, issued a statement saying he would comply.

Source: ABC News October 28, 2017 11:22 UTC