Spain to trigger suspension of Catalan autonomy on Saturday

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy walks away after delivering a statement at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. The Spanish Cabinet met in Madrid Wednesday to work out its response to an announcement from the head of the wealthy Catalonia region that he was proceeding with a declaration of independence, further fueling Spain’s worst political crisis in decades. (AP Photo/Paul White)

The Spanish government will trigger the Article 155 of the constitution on Saturday, which allows to suspend Catalonia’s political autonomy, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday, reported Reuters. The development comes hours after Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said the regional parliament could vote on a formal declaration of independence from Spain if the central government failed to agree to further talks.