Spain to impose direct rule on Catalonia if Puigdemont tries to govern from Brussels
The Spanish government has threatened to re-impose direct rule on Catalonia if the former regional leader Carles Puigdemont tries to govern from exile in Brussels.
Speaking at the headquarters of his center-right People’s Party in the capital Madrid on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, said the former Catalan leader had "to be physically present" in Catalonia to assume office, and if that did not happen, the central government would keep control of the autonomous region.
"It's absurd that someone aspires to be president of the Catalan regional government being a fugitive and in Brussels. It's not an issue of law or politics, it's a case of common sense," Rajoy said.
"In order to take possession, he has to do so physically because possession cannot be taken from Brussels. And, if he doesn't do so, Article 155 will continue to be in force, not because I say so but because the Senate decided that Article 155 will be in force until the new president takes possession after the Catalan elections," he added.
Article 155 of Spain’s constitution allows Madrid to suspend Catalonia’s political autonomy.
Puigdemont and his ex-cabinet members fled to Belgium in October last year after his government was fired following a unilateral declaration of independence, which was rejected by Madrid as illegal.
The former Catalan leader, facing arrest and likely imprisonment if he returns home, was charged with sedition, rebellion, and misuse of public funds for his role in the region's independence referendum.
After the declaration of independence, Rajoy seized control of Catalonia, dissolved its parliament and called for snap elections to be held on December 21, aiming to marginalize the secessionist camp that favored a split of the wealthy northeastern region from Spain.
Pro-independence parties won 70 of the 135 seats in the Catalan parliament in those elections, giving secessionist lawmakers a slim majority over the pro-unity camp.
Puigdemont’s supporters argue that voters have elected him and he should be able to rule from Brussels given the current circumstances.
During a meeting of the Catalan parliament last week, the secessionist government suggested that Puigdemont could be sworn into office via video-link or by proxy, but the Spanish government in Madrid vetoed the proposal.
The new Catalan parliament is to hold its maiden session on January 17.
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