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Catalonia: Carles Puigdemont accuses Spanish government of 'worst attacks' since dictatorship Catalonia: Carles Puigdemont accuses Spanish government of 'worst attacks' since dictatorship
(35 minutes later)
The leader of Catalonia has accused the Spanish government of one of the "worst attacks" on democracy since the Franco dictatorship. Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont has delivered a scathing response to Mariano Rajoy’s hardhitting plans for direct rule in the troubled region, calling them the “worst attack on Catalan institutions since the dictator General  Franco ordered the end of our autonomy".
Carles Puigdemont said Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was attempting to “humiliate'' the region and said it could not accept plans to curb autonomy. “What we decide through voting is to be wiped out by the government in their offices,” Mr Puigdemont claimed. 
Mr Puigdemont said Catalonia will not accept direct rule from Madrid.  Mr Puigdemont said the Catalan parliament would hold an emergency debate on "this attempt to destroy our autonomous government, our democracy".
He spoke out after Mr Rajoy said he wants the country's senate to give him direct power to dissolve the regional Catalan government and call an election as soon as possible. Also speaking in Spanish and English, he described Catalonia as “an ancient democratic nation” and claimed that the EU's “founding values” were at risk.
Mr Rajoy said after a cabinet meeting that the central government needs to take the unprecedented step of assuming control of Catalonia to "restore order" in the face of a secession effort backed by the regional government. Earlier on Saturday, Mr Rajoy had outlined plans that would see the region’s separatist leaders removed from office, including Mr Puigdemont, and the local parliament stripped of much of its power. 
He is proposing that the powers of Catalan officials be taken over by central government ministers. In a significant upping of the stakes in his bid to rein in the region’s pro-independence rulers, Mr Rajoy has said that although the Catalan parliament will not be dissolved immediately, its functions will be limited to “avoid measures contrary to the constitution". 
Mr Rajoy's government is activating a previously untapped constitutional article to take control of Catalonia. Ministries in Madrid will oversee the management of the Catalan administration, as well as directing the Catalan local police forces and, probably, the region's public television and radio channels.
Spain has experienced a bitter constitutional crisis since a banned independence referendum went ahead in Catalonia in early October.  The Nationalist movement was, predictably, in an uproar at their imminent loss of regional power. An estimated 450,000 people attended a major demonstration in Barcelona, which initially asked for the freedom of two jailed separatists but merged with protests against direct rule.
The country only became a democracy after former ruler Francisco Franco died in 1975. “There could have been dialogue, instead we’ve got state intervention,” Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, viewed as a non-aligned moderate, said during the demonstration. Carme Forcadell, president of the Catalan parliament, described Mr Rajoy’s measures as “a de facto coup d’etat".
Hundreds of thousands of people were killed under his direction, including Catalan separatists, among others.  The Spanish Prime Minister also confirmed that regional elections would be called, within a period of six months, or “as soon as institutional normality is restored”.
Comparisons to the modern Spanish government with the dictatorship were made after TV footage was broadcast showing police reacting severely to referendum voters in Catalonia.  All of these measures are to be carried out under the unprecedented auspices of Article 155 of the constitution, which allows Madrid to impose direct rule, and are pending a vote from the Spanish Senate, where Mr  Rajoy’s ruling Partido Popular (PP) party has a majority.
Agencies Mr Rajoy was notably scant on specific detail and long on justification for direct rule in his speech, concentrating principally on a broad-brushed display of the whys and wherefores of the stripping the Catalan government of its power.
“We are not ending Catalan autonomy, but we are relieving those who have acted outside the law, of their duties,” Mr Rajoy said.
He explained the aim of the measures was to restore “legality, normality and social goodwill” to Catalonia.
Mr Rajoy underlined he had the support of both the Socialist Party, which heads Spain’s opposition, and by the fourth largest party, Ciudadanos. But the left-wing Podemos coalition called the measures “authoritarian and a botched job,” and one middle-ranking member of the Socialist Party executive, Nuria Parlon, has resigned over the implementation of Article 155.
It is also strongly rumoured that the Nationalist coalition will vote for Catalonia to  break away from Spain in parliament next Friday, the same day that Madrid’s measures are expected to be confirmed by the Senate.