Catalonia's push for independence from Spain: What to know (Report)

Catalonia’s regional parliament is debating Friday whether it will formally declare independence from Spain following a referendum earlier this month.

The Spanish government has warned against such a declaration and has moved to invoke a never-before used constitutional article that would strip the Catalonia region of its autonomous power, calling it a last resort to “restore order.”

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy held a special meeting over the weekend to approve measures to take direct control of the Catalan region under Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. The meeting came almost three weeks after a controversial referendum seeking the region’s independence, which was later ruled illegal by the country’s Supreme Court.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has argued the referendum result gave him the mandate to move forward with independence. Separatist lawmakers have filed a proposal for Catalonia’s regional parliament to vote on whether to establish an independent republic.  

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