Continued struggle between Spain's control....>

SPAIN: Continued struggle between Spain's control and Catalonia's efforts to

become autonomous. BBC reported Saturday that Spain is "expected to trigger

Article 155 of the constitution, which allows it to impose direct rule in a

crisis, taking back a region's devolved powers, for the first time." BBC notes,

however, that Article 155 "does not give the government the power to fully

suspend autonomy." Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont went on to say Catalonia

will not accept direct rule, describing actions by Spain as the "worst attack on

Catalonia's institutions since General Franco's 1939-1975 dictatorship." El Pais

reported Sunday that after Article 155 is triggered, dissolution of Catalan

parliament will pass to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. "The Catalan

parliament will not dissolved, and will continue to carry out its representative

function," however, with regional elections expected to "take place within six

months" or "as soon as institutional normality is restored," Rajoy said.

Meanwhile, "The Generalitat, as the Catalan executive is known, will continue to

function and to be charged with administration in the region, with oversight

from ministries in Madrid."