'Catalonia kidnapped by fanatic racists,' says People's Party leader

The leader of the People's Party, Pablo Casado, harshly criticized the Catalan pro-independence movement during his party annual meeting, and pledged to "bring order" to Catalonia.

"We will free a whole society, which has been kidnapped by a gang of fanatic, supremacist racists," he said on Sunday.

Casado believes he will "soon" be president of Spain, and then he will change the Spanish political parties funding law so that "those who act against Spain receive no euros."

He also pledged to modify the law regulating pardons "so that any pardon to people convicted for rebellion and sedition is prohibited," in a reference to the nine pro-independence jailed leaders whose trial for rebellion will kick off in the coming weeks.

Casado's view was greenlighted by José María Aznar, the former Spanish president between 1996 and 2004, who still enjoys a big influence over the party.