This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/world/europe/catalonia-spain-carles-puigdemont.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Catalonia Leader Appears to Waver on Elections as Crisis Turns Chaotic Catalan Leader Will Let Lawmakers Decide on Independence
(about 1 hour later)
BARCELONA — Catalonia’s crisis slipped deeper into chaos on Thursday when the separatist leader scheduled, delayed, then finally canceled a televised address in which he was expected to call early elections in a bid to preserve his region’s autonomy and hold off direct rule by the central government in Madrid. BARCELONA, Spain — After a chaotic day of wavering, Catalonia’s separatist leader, Carles Puigdemont, announced on Thursday that he would place a decision on independence from Spain before the region’s parliament.
Instead, later on Thursday, the Catalan leader, Carles Puigdemont, is expected to go ahead with a session of the Catalan Parliament, where pressure is mounting on him to clarify the region’s intensions over whether it will pursue independence. The move by Mr. Puigdemont virtually ensures that the central government in Madrid will take control of the restive region, using its emergency constitutional powers.
Last Saturday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain announced that he was preparing to take full control over Catalonia’s administration using Article 155 of the national Constitution and to replace Mr. Puigdemont, alongside Catalonia’s entire separatist leadership, to stop the region’s secessionism in its tracks. Mr. Puigdemont made the announcement before a scheduled appearance before the Catalan Parliament on Thursday evening. He said he made the decision after he had failed to secure a commitment from the central government that it would not take control of the region if he called early elections.
Mr. Puigdemont’s delay may have been designed to secure a firm pledge from Mr. Rajoy that Madrid would not impose the emergency measures, in return for Mr. Puigdemont’s calling off a unilateral declaration of independence. “There are none of the guarantees that justify convening today elections,” Mr. Puigdemont said during a brief televised address from his government headquarters. “I tried to obtain the guarantees,” he added, but “I didn’t get a responsible answer from the Spanish government, which has instead used this option to add to the tension.”
But in the time leading up to Mr. Puigdemont’s scheduled news conference, with no guarantee forthcoming and word leaking out of his expected move, separatists started gathering outside the Catalan government building to protest his apparent U-turn, and his plans quickly appeared to founder. He added: “It is now for Parliament to decide its answer to the application” of Article 155 of the national Constitution.
For more than two weeks, Mr. Puigdemont and Mr. Rajoy have engaged in a game of chicken over whether the Catalan leader was ready to secede unilaterally, following a confusing address to the Catalan Parliament on Oct. 10, in which Mr. Puigdemont appeared to declare independence only to suspend it a moment later. The Catalan Parliament may meet later Thursday but then vote on a declaration of independence on Friday, just as the Spanish Senate approves emergency measures to impose Madrid’s direct rule on Catalonia.
Mr. Puigdemont leads a fragile coalition of separatist parties that control 72 of the 135 seats in the Catalan Parliament.
Last Saturday, Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister of Spain, announced that, using Article 155, he was preparing to take full control over Catalonia’s administration and to replace Mr. Puigdemont, along with Catalonia’s entire separatist leadership, in order to stop the region’s secessionism in its tracks.
The mounting pressures on both men were evident throughout a day of confusion in a crisis that has presented Spain with one of its gravest tests since embracing democracy in 1978.
Mr. Puigdemont clearly hoped that a pre-emptive call for elections would hold off Madrid’s intervention. Earlier on Thursday, the separatist leader scheduled, delayed and then finally canceled a televised address in which he had been expected to take such a move.
His delay was apparently designed to secure a firm pledge from Mr. Rajoy that Madrid would not impose the emergency measures, in return for Mr. Puigdemont’s calling off a unilateral declaration of independence.
But in the time leading up to Mr. Puigdemont’s scheduled lunchtime news conference, with no guarantee forthcoming and word leaking out of his expected move, separatists started gathering outside the Catalan government building to protest the prospect of a U-turn.
Without a guarantee from Madrid, Mr. Puigdemont faced instead broadening descent in his own ranks, with some members of his conservative party announcing that they would quit if the Catalan leaders opted for new elections rather than secession.
That raised the prospect of an internal revolt that could tear apart Mr. Puigdemont’s independence movement.
For more than two weeks, Mr. Puigdemont and Mr. Rajoy had engaged in a game of chicken over whether the Catalan leader was ready to secede unilaterally, following a confusing address to the Catalan Parliament on Oct. 10 in which Mr. Puigdemont appeared to declare independence — only to suspend it a moment later.
The pressures on both leaders have by now become formidable. Mr. Puigdemont risks decades in prison for rebellion should he push ahead with his secessionist plan.The pressures on both leaders have by now become formidable. Mr. Puigdemont risks decades in prison for rebellion should he push ahead with his secessionist plan.
In Madrid, Mr. Rajoy was under severe pressure by hard-liners in his conservative party not to relent in an effort to snuff out a Catalan rebellion that has become one of the gravest constitutional crises his country has faced since it adopted a democratic constitution in 1978. In Madrid, Mr. Rajoy has been under severe pressure from hard-liners in his conservative party not to relent in the effort to snuff out the Catalan rebellion.
Last week, Mr. Puigdemont warned in a letter to Mr. Rajoy that Catalan lawmakers would vote for a declaration of independence if Mr. Rajoy imposed direct rule on their region.Last week, Mr. Puigdemont warned in a letter to Mr. Rajoy that Catalan lawmakers would vote for a declaration of independence if Mr. Rajoy imposed direct rule on their region.
Mr. Rajoy’s call for Article 155 measures — never used before — would allow him to to impose direct rule in Catalonia as well as to take control of the autonomous region’s police force and broadcaster. Mr. Rajoy’s call for Article 155 measures — never used before — would allow him to to impose direct rule and to take control of the autonomous region’s police force and broadcaster.
Those steps are still scheduled to go to a vote on Friday before the Spanish Senate, where Mr. Rajoy’s Popular Party holds a majority. If the vote happens, the moves will almost certainly pass. Even before Mr. Puigdemont’s news conference, some were calling him a traitor.
Even before Mr. Puigdemont’s scheduled news conference, some were calling him a traitor.
Gabriel Rufián, a Catalan separatist member of the Spanish Parliament, wrote “155 pieces of silver” in a tweet, a reference to Judas’s payment for betraying Jesus in the Bible.Gabriel Rufián, a Catalan separatist member of the Spanish Parliament, wrote “155 pieces of silver” in a tweet, a reference to Judas’s payment for betraying Jesus in the Bible.
And some hard-line separatist politicians said that they would quit Catalonia’s governing coalition, raising the prospect of an internal revolt that could tear apart Mr. Puigdemont’s independence movement if he calls elections.
Mr. Puigdemont’s government has been flouting Spain’s Constitution since early September, when separatist lawmakers voted on legislation to hold a binding referendum on independence on Oct. 1 as a key step toward statehood.Mr. Puigdemont’s government has been flouting Spain’s Constitution since early September, when separatist lawmakers voted on legislation to hold a binding referendum on independence on Oct. 1 as a key step toward statehood.
An alliance of separatist parties has controlled the Catalan Parliament since 2015, after winning elections, but with only 48 percent of the votes.An alliance of separatist parties has controlled the Catalan Parliament since 2015, after winning elections, but with only 48 percent of the votes.
After the October vote, Mr. Puigdemont was under intense pressure to declare independence, since Catalans voted for secession in the highly controversial referendum, which was marred by clashes between the Spanish police and Catalan citizens.After the October vote, Mr. Puigdemont was under intense pressure to declare independence, since Catalans voted for secession in the highly controversial referendum, which was marred by clashes between the Spanish police and Catalan citizens.
The vote, however, took place without legal guarantees and with most Catalan opponents of independence staying away in protest. The referendum was declared illegal by Spain’s government and courts.The vote, however, took place without legal guarantees and with most Catalan opponents of independence staying away in protest. The referendum was declared illegal by Spain’s government and courts.
This month, a judge from Spain’s national court ordered prison without bail for two leaders of the Catalan independence movement, pending a trial for sedition.This month, a judge from Spain’s national court ordered prison without bail for two leaders of the Catalan independence movement, pending a trial for sedition.
Last weekend, Mr. Rajoy insisted that using Article 155 “was neither our desire nor our intention,” but instead the only way to to return Catalonia to legality and normality and to maintain a Spanish economic recovery “which is now under clear danger because of the capricious and unilateral decisions” of the Catalan separatist government.Last weekend, Mr. Rajoy insisted that using Article 155 “was neither our desire nor our intention,” but instead the only way to to return Catalonia to legality and normality and to maintain a Spanish economic recovery “which is now under clear danger because of the capricious and unilateral decisions” of the Catalan separatist government.