Catalan Parliament to vote declaration of independence if Madrid suspends self-rule

The Catalan president invited his Spanish counterpart to open a dialogue and said that the Catalan parliament had not voted on the declaration of independence on October 10. He made that clear in a letter on Thursday responding to Madrid’s official request for clarification on a declaration of independence. However, despite his remarks, the Spanish government says it will enforce Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, which allows it to suspend Catalonia’s self-rule. Its spokesman announced the decision shortly after receiving President Puigdemont’s letter.

Spain’s reaction makes a full-fledged declaration of independence now much more likely to be voted in the Catalan parliament. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, also said in the letter that “if the Spanish government insists on blocking dialogue and continuing repression, the Catalan Parliament may proceed, if appropriate, to vote on the formal declaration of independence that it did not vote on on October 10.” Indeed, Puigdemont told his party’s top officials on Wednesday evening that if Spain ends up suspending Catalonia’s self-rule, he will lift the freeze on the declaration of independence.