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| Catalonia live updates: Spain's Prime Minister Rajoy fires government, dissolves parliament and calls new elections in wake of independence vote | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has imposed direct rule on Catalonia after the region declared independence. Mr Rajoy has fired the Catalonia government, dissolved parliament and call new elections for the area that will take place on 21 December. | |
| The vote in the regional parliament followed a tense week of last-ditch negotiations between Madrid and Barcelona. | The vote in the regional parliament followed a tense week of last-ditch negotiations between Madrid and Barcelona. |
| Mr Rajoy said "we never wanted to come to this point," adding that his aim is "to return [Catalonia] to normality and legality as soon as possible." | |
| The latest move will not be greeted well by many in Catalonia, with thousands having been out on the streets celebrating the declaration of independence. | |
| For all the latest updates follow our liveblog below: | For all the latest updates follow our liveblog below: |
| The EU has called for calm after violence marred the day of the vote at the beginning of October. The Spanish government faced a barrage of criticism over the force it used. | |
| Seventy Catalan deputies voted for independence, with 10 opposed and two blank ballot slips. | Seventy Catalan deputies voted for independence, with 10 opposed and two blank ballot slips. |
| Rounds of applause broke out in the chamber as members of the parliament hugged and shook hands. | Rounds of applause broke out in the chamber as members of the parliament hugged and shook hands. |
| Opposition MPs had walked out of the chamber ahead of Friday's vote in protest. | Opposition MPs had walked out of the chamber ahead of Friday's vote in protest. |
| On Thursday Catalan president Carles Puigdemont had ruled out calling a snap election, thought to have been a potential way of defusing tension with the central government. | On Thursday Catalan president Carles Puigdemont had ruled out calling a snap election, thought to have been a potential way of defusing tension with the central government. |
| Mr Puigdemont said he had not received sufficient guarantees that Madrid would hold off on its attempts to take control of the region. | Mr Puigdemont said he had not received sufficient guarantees that Madrid would hold off on its attempts to take control of the region. |