Spanish government’s main ally withdraws support over Catalonia

The Spanish government and its main ally, Ciutadans (Cs), clashed in parliament on Wednesday after the latter accused president Mariano Rajoy of not doing enough to confront pro-independence parties in Catalonia and “abandoning his duties.”

In an unlikely move, Cs leader Albert Rivera announced that his party was withdrawing support from Rajoy’s government on the application of Article 155—the constitutional device used by Madrid to suspend self-rule in Catalonia following a declaration of independence last October.