KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
Will Spain call fresh Catalunya elections in January? Rajoy refuses to comment
20/10/2017
SPANISH president Mariano Rajoy has refused to confirm or deny rumours that he has agreed with rival party PSOE for fresh regional election to be held in January in Catalunya.
When asked, the PP leader said his party 'would announce tomorrow' – for Saturday – any new measures.
A crisis meeting is due to be held from 10.00 to discuss how to apply Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, an unprecedented move allowing the State to take over ruling of one of its 17 autonomous regions and strip its federal government of its powers.
Socialist spokeswoman Carmen Calvo says she has met with the reigning PP and confirmed that a new election in Catalunya had indeed been seriously considered along with other steps that 'evidently could affect' the region's police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, and its public-sector-run television station TV3.
Asked about TV3 during the current European Council Summit in Brussels, Rajoy answered: “Who said that?”
Next, he clarified: “I neither confirm nor deny.”
But he did assert that in Catalunya: “We've reached the end of the line and are obliged to act – and I believe that was always certain people's [for Catalunya's leaders] intention.”
Rajoy warned that if Article 155 was triggered against the region – a drastic action never taken in the 39-year history of Spain's Magna Carta – it would be 'irreversible'.
He conceded, however, that 'no use of force whatsoever' would be involved.
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SPANISH president Mariano Rajoy has refused to confirm or deny rumours that he has agreed with rival party PSOE for fresh regional election to be held in January in Catalunya.
When asked, the PP leader said his party 'would announce tomorrow' – for Saturday – any new measures.
A crisis meeting is due to be held from 10.00 to discuss how to apply Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, an unprecedented move allowing the State to take over ruling of one of its 17 autonomous regions and strip its federal government of its powers.
Socialist spokeswoman Carmen Calvo says she has met with the reigning PP and confirmed that a new election in Catalunya had indeed been seriously considered along with other steps that 'evidently could affect' the region's police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, and its public-sector-run television station TV3.
Asked about TV3 during the current European Council Summit in Brussels, Rajoy answered: “Who said that?”
Next, he clarified: “I neither confirm nor deny.”
But he did assert that in Catalunya: “We've reached the end of the line and are obliged to act – and I believe that was always certain people's [for Catalunya's leaders] intention.”
Rajoy warned that if Article 155 was triggered against the region – a drastic action never taken in the 39-year history of Spain's Magna Carta – it would be 'irreversible'.
He conceded, however, that 'no use of force whatsoever' would be involved.
Related Topics
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