Speaking before the Senate on Friday, Mariano Rajoy called the events of recent weeks in Catalonia "a clear violation of the laws, of democracy, of the rights of all, and that has consequences." He went on to say that Madrid should seize the autonomous powers of the region, calling it the only option to deal with the developing crisis.
Rajoy urged the country's parliament on Friday to proceed with the dismissal of Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, his vice-president, and regional ministers.
Two separate parliamentary sessions, one in Madrid and one in Barcelona will be held today to discuss the Catalan crisis.
Meanwhile, thousands of Catalans gathered outside of regional parliament's building in Barcelona in support of independence. According to AP, protesters chanted "independence" and "freedom," with some saying that Friday was Catalonia’s last chance of becoming a sovereign state.
The tensions between Madrid and Barcelona exacerbated sharply after the October 1 referendum in Catalonia. Madrid hasn't recognized the results of the referendum, where 90 percent of voters backed the idea of independence. Among the most recent developments, Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont ruled out on Thursday the possibility to hold a snap election in the region and pull out the bid for independence.
