The Catalan regional parliament Friday voted to declare independence from Spain, in defiance of the government and the EU, which earlier warned that it would not recognise it. Catalan MPs backed the motion 70-10 in a ballot boycotted by the opposition in the 135-seat chamber.
In line with the direction of the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy who earlier told senators direct rule was needed to return “law, democracy and stability” to Catalonia, the Spanish parliament same day approved direct rule over the region.
Judging by reactions from the government and the EU to the one-month crisis, the Spanish Constitutional Court is likely to declare the declaration illegal.
