Spain threatens to continue direct rule if jailed leader is sworn in

Direct rule of Catalonia from Madrid may continue if the pro-independence bloc tries to swear in a president who is in prison. This is what two Spanish government members hinted on Wednesday, amidst murmurings that jailed leader Jordi Sànchez may be the one nominated for the post. Talking to the COPE Spanish radio station, Rajoy’s cabinet spokesman Íñigo Méndez de Vigo said that “if there is no legally formed government, Article 155 will continue,” referring to the provision in the Spanish Constitution enabling direct rule. According to him, Catalonia must have a president “fully able to exercise” his duties for the constitutional article to be lifted.

The Spanish justice minister, Rafael Catalá, expressed a similar point of view. “No one can do their work if they are without freedom, in prison,” he said. Catalá also made it clear that Article 155 will be in force “until a government able to exercise its tasks is formed.” According to him, the Spanish government will stay “alert” to anything that might happen in Thursday’s plenary session in the Catalan hemicycle.