Spain to strip Catalonia of autonomous power, call for early election, prime minister says (Report)

The Spanish central government moved Saturday to trigger a never-before used constitutional article that would strip Catalonia of its autonomous power, calling it a last resort to “restore order.”

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government will seek to dissolve the prosperous region’s government and call for an early election. He blamed separatists from pushing the central government to take the unprecedented measures.

Rajoy’s Cabinet met in a special meeting Saturday morning 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 ruled illegal by the country’s Supreme Court.

CATALONIA’S PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN: WHAT TO KNOW

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