Catalan independence party calls for 'mass civil disobedience' against direct rule

A Catalan independence party today called for “mass civil disobedience” in following the Spanish government’s move to impose direct rule.

The Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP), described the move by Spain’s prime minister Mariano Rajoy as “the greatest aggression against the civil, individual and collective rights of the Catalan people” since the dictatorship of General Franco, who died in 1975.

The CUP, a key ally of the ruling separatist coalition in Catalonia’s regional parliament, said attempts to impose direct rule would be met by civil disobedience as a form of non-violent resistance. It promised to elaborate on what form this could take later in the week.

Speculation is mounting that violence could erupt between the two sides after Mr Rajoy began moves to impose direct rule. Today deputy prime minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said Catalonia’s leader Carles Puigdemont will lose all powers and stop receiving a salary once the Senate approves article 155 of the constitution, which imposes central government control.

A single representative may be temporarily installed by Madrid to govern the region once the Senate approves direct rule, she said. Approval is ex-pected on Friday. The moves were described as a “de facto coup d’état” by the speaker of the Catalan parliament, Carme Forcadell. Madrid fears Mr Puigdemont may declare unilateral independence later this week at a plenary session of the region’s parliament.

In the Catalan referendum on October 1, 92 per cent backed independence but on a turnout of 43 per cent. The ballot was declared illegal by Spain’s constitutional court and many opponents of independence stayed away, while police clashed with protesters.

Today Catalan foreign affairs spokesperson Raul Romeva insisted the region would not tolerate a takeover. Referring to the clashes on polling day, he told the BBC: “Have you seen any single incident in those demonstrations for years? Never, never ever. So who has broken this? [It] is the police on October 1, they attacked the peaceful population that was simply wanting to vote.

“Who has been acting unilaterally, even violating the constitution? The Spanish government. What I can tell you is the people and the institutions in Catalonia will not let this happen.”

A new opinion poll suggested Madrid’s promise of new elections in Catalonia would fail to give pro-independence MPs more than half the vote. They would keep power by joining in a coalition but win 47.9 per cent, a GESOP poll for Catalan daily El Periodico found.

Two of Italy’s wealthiest regions have voted overwhelmingly for more autonomy in non-binding referendums. Voters in Veneto and Lombardy backed more devolution from Rome. Turnout was thought to be 58 per cent in Veneto and just over 40 per cent in Lombardy.