The European Union Parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and two other separatists.

EU parliament lifts Ex-Catalan leader's immunity

New Catalan leader Quim Torra on Thursday (May 17) was sworn in as Catalonia's new leader bringing an end to seven months of direct rule from Madrid but heralding more political uncertainty as the hard-line separatist continues his fight to split from Spain.

The Catalan parliament voted in Torra on Monday (May 14) by 66 votes to 65 amid accusations of xenophobia from opposition pro-unity parties who reminded the new leader of past tweets and articles where he refers to Spaniards in a negative light, leading Torra to apologise in parliament.

His election was made possible by the abstention of the pro-independence, anti-capitalist party CUP.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on the region after the previous administration, led by Carles Puigdemont, declared independence in October.

Under the terms of the legislation, Madrid will lift its intervention once the Catalan government is fully formed and members of cabinet named.

His election was made possible by the abstention of the pro-independence, anti-capitalist party CUP

New Catalan leader Quim Torra on Thursday (May 17) was sworn in as Catalonia's new leader bringing an end to seven months of direct rule from Madrid but heralding more political uncertainty as the hard-line separatist continues his fight to split from Spain. The Catalan parliament voted in Torra on Monday (May 14) by 66 votes to 65 amid accusations of xenophobia from opposition pro-unity parties who reminded the new leader of past tweets and articles where he refers to Spaniards in a negative light, leading Torra to apologise in parliament. His election was made possible by the abstention of the pro-independence, anti-capitalist party CUP. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on the region after the previous administration, led by Carles Puigdemont, declared independence in October. Under the terms of the legislation, Madrid will lift its intervention once the Catalan government is fully formed and members of cabinet named.

Quim Torra sworn in as new Catalan leader

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont called for immediate "political dialogue" with Madrid to resolve the row over the region's independence bid as he left a German jail on Friday.

The 55-year-old smiled and waved at supporters as he walked out of Neumuenster prison in northern Germany after posting a 75,000-euro ($92,000) bail, a day after judges rejected Spain's request to extradite him on a rebellion charge.

The German judges are still mulling however whether to extradite him on a lesser charge of corruption.

"The time for dialogue has arrived," Puigdemont told reporters outside the prison, saying that Catalonian demands for talks had for years "only received a violent and repressive response".

There is "no excuse" for the Spanish authorities not to start "a political dialogue with the Catalan political leaders", he added.

He also called for "the immediate release" of fellow Catalan separatists detained in the clash with Madrid over the wealthy northeastern region's failed breakaway attempt.

"It's a shame for Europe to have political prisoners," he said.

In a major victory for Puigdemont, the upper state court in Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday dismissed the rebellion charge against him over his role in last October's independence&nbspreferendum, deemed illegal by the Spanish government.

Rebellion -- which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in Spain -- was not punishable under German law, they ruled.

The closest German equivalent, the criminal offence of high treason, did not apply because Puigdemont's actions were not accompanied by violence, the judges found.

But they said the former Catalan president could still be sent to Spain to face trial for the alleged misuse of public funds in organising the disputed referendum.

The German judges said they needed to gather more information before making a decision on the embezzlement charge in the coming weeks, but ruled that Puigdemont be released in the meantime.

Madrid has estimated that some 1.6 million euros in public money was improperly used to hold the referendum. If convicted, Puigdemont faces up to eight years in jail.

As part of his bail conditions, Puigdemont must remain in Germany and report to police weekly.

Blow to Madrid

German police detained Puigdemont on March 25 as he was travelling from Finland back to Belgium, where he has been living in self-imposed exile for the past six months.

The arrest came two days after Spain's Supreme Court ordered international warrants for Puigdemont and other fugitive Catalan leaders on charges linked to holding the banned referendum.

The German court's refusal to accept the rebellion charge is a blow to Madrid, as under European law it means Puigdemont cannot be prosecuted for the offence even if he is returned to Spain.

Despite the setback, the Spanish government said it respected the German judges' decision.

"It's a matter between judges, not a matter between governments," said government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo.

Berlin, which has long expressed support for Madrid's actions in the Catalan row, declined to comment on the latest judicial developments.

"The process lies in the hands of the justice system, as is right," said German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.

Flights to Europe

Catalonia has been mired in political crisis ever since the region unilaterally declared independence on October 27 in the wake of the controversial referendum.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government responded by sacking the Catalan government, taking direct control of the region and calling early elections.

The December vote was won by a block of separatist parties. But they have been unable to elect a president and form a government as their chosen candidates are now either in exile, in jail or facing prosecution.

Fresh regional elections will be triggered if a new leader is not elected by May 22.

Puigdemont was one of a number of Catalan figureheads who fled abroad to escape prosecution, dragging other European countries into the spat.

A Belgian judge on Thursday bailed three former Catalan ministers after they handed themselves in to police there.

Another former Catalan minister, Clara Ponsati, was bailed in Scotland last week.

They face charges of rebellion, misuse of public funds and disobeying the state.

Nine other pro-independence figures are currently in custody in Spain, including six members of Puigdemont's Catalan government and the former president of the regional parliament.

A major demonstration calling for imprisoned separatist leaders to be freed is planned for April 15 in Barcelona.

The ousted Catalan leader called for immediate 'political dialogue' with Madrid to resolve the row over the region's independence bid as he left a German jail on Friday

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont called for immediate "political dialogue" with Madrid to resolve the row over the region's independence bid as he left a German jail on Friday. The 55-year-old smiled and waved at supporters as he walked out of Neumuenster prison in northern Germany after posting a 75,000-euro ($92,000) bail, a day after judges rejected Spain's request to extradite him on a rebellion charge. The German judges are still mulling however whether to extradite him on a lesser charge of corruption. "The time for dialogue has arrived," Puigdemont told reporters outside the prison, saying that Catalonian demands for talks had for years "only received a violent and repressive response". There is "no excuse" for the Spanish authorities not to start "a political dialogue with the Catalan political leaders", he added. He also called for "the immediate release" of fellow Catalan separatists detained in the clash with Madrid over the wealthy northeastern region's failed breakaway attempt. "It's a shame for Europe to have political prisoners," he said. In a major victory for Puigdemont, the upper state court in Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday dismissed the rebellion charge against him over his role in last October's independence&nbspreferendum, deemed illegal by the Spanish government. Rebellion -- which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in Spain -- was not punishable under German law, they ruled. The closest German equivalent, the criminal offence of high treason, did not apply because Puigdemont's actions were not accompanied by violence, the judges found. But they said the former Catalan president could still be sent to Spain to face trial for the alleged misuse of public funds in organising the disputed referendum. The German judges said they needed to gather more information before making a decision on the embezzlement charge in the coming weeks, but ruled that Puigdemont be released in the meantime. Madrid has estimated that some 1.6 million euros in public money was improperly used to hold the referendum. If convicted, Puigdemont faces up to eight years in jail. As part of his bail conditions, Puigdemont must remain in Germany and report to police weekly. Blow to Madrid German police detained Puigdemont on March 25 as he was travelling from Finland back to Belgium, where he has been living in self-imposed exile for the past six months. The arrest came two days after Spain's Supreme Court ordered international warrants for Puigdemont and other fugitive Catalan leaders on charges linked to holding the banned referendum. The German court's refusal to accept the rebellion charge is a blow to Madrid, as under European law it means Puigdemont cannot be prosecuted for the offence even if he is returned to Spain. Despite the setback, the Spanish government said it respected the German judges' decision. "It's a matter between judges, not a matter between governments," said government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo. Berlin, which has long expressed support for Madrid's actions in the Catalan row, declined to comment on the latest judicial developments. "The process lies in the hands of the justice system, as is right," said German government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. Flights to Europe Catalonia has been mired in political crisis ever since the region unilaterally declared independence on October 27 in the wake of the controversial referendum. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government responded by sacking the Catalan government, taking direct control of the region and calling early elections. The December vote was won by a block of separatist parties. But they have been unable to elect a president and form a government as their chosen candidates are now either in exile, in jail or facing prosecution. Fresh regional elections will be triggered if a new leader is not elected by May 22. Puigdemont was one of a number of Catalan figureheads who fled abroad to escape prosecution, dragging other European countries into the spat. A Belgian judge on Thursday bailed three former Catalan ministers after they handed themselves in to police there. Another former Catalan minister, Clara Ponsati, was bailed in Scotland last week. They face charges of rebellion, misuse of public funds and disobeying the state. Nine other pro-independence figures are currently in custody in Spain, including six members of Puigdemont's Catalan government and the former president of the regional parliament. A major demonstration calling for imprisoned separatist leaders to be freed is planned for April 15 in Barcelona.

Puigdemont urges dialogue with Madrid after leaving German jail

Spain said Saturday that it will move to dismiss Catalonia&#39;s separatist government and call <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-government-meets-to-impose-direct-rule-on-catalonia-22695" target="_blank">fresh elections in the region in a bid to stop its leaders from declaring independence.</a>

Speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government had no choice after the administration of Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont acted in a way that was &quot;unilateral, contrary to the law and seeking confrontation&quot; in holding a banned independence referendum in the northeastern region.

Taking Spain into uncharted legal waters by using Article 155 of the constitution, which allows Madrid to wrest back control of rebellious regions, Rajoy said he was asking the Senate to give him permission to dissolve the Catalan parliament and &quot;call elections within a maximum of six months&quot;.&nbsp;

He is also requesting that all of Puigdemont&#39;s government be stripped of their functions, which &quot;in principle will be carried out by (national) ministers for the duration of this exceptional situation.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spains-rajoy-says-critical-point-reached-in-catalonia-22677" target="_blank">Also read -- Critical point reached in Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister</a>

The national Senate will now have to agree to these unprecedented steps -- a process that will take about a week.&nbsp;

Rajoy&#39;s conservative Popular Party holds a majority in the Senate. As the measures enjoy the support of other major parties, they are highly likely to pass.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spain-to-suspend-catalonias-autonomy-in-response-to-independence-threat-22637" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Spain to suspend Catalonia&#39;s autonomy in response to independence threat</a>

Catalonia sparked Spain&#39;s worst political crisis in decades with the chaotic referendum on October 1, which Puigdemont said resulted in a 90 percent vote in favour of breaking away from Spain.

But turnout was given as 43 percent as many anti-independence Catalans stayed away from the vote, which had been ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court, while others were hindered from voting by a police crackdown.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government had no choice after Catalonia's separatist government acted in a way that was 'unilateral, contrary to the law and seeking confrontation'

Spain said Saturday that it will move to dismiss Catalonia's separatist government and call fresh elections in the region in a bid to stop its leaders from declaring independence. Speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government had no choice after the administration of Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont acted in a way that was "unilateral, contrary to the law and seeking confrontation" in holding a banned independence referendum in the northeastern region. Taking Spain into uncharted legal waters by using Article 155 of the constitution, which allows Madrid to wrest back control of rebellious regions, Rajoy said he was asking the Senate to give him permission to dissolve the Catalan parliament and "call elections within a maximum of six months". He is also requesting that all of Puigdemont's government be stripped of their functions, which "in principle will be carried out by (national) ministers for the duration of this exceptional situation." Also read -- Critical point reached in Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister The national Senate will now have to agree to these unprecedented steps -- a process that will take about a week. Rajoy's conservative Popular Party holds a majority in the Senate. As the measures enjoy the support of other major parties, they are highly likely to pass. Also read: Spain to suspend Catalonia's autonomy in response to independence threat Catalonia sparked Spain's worst political crisis in decades with the chaotic referendum on October 1, which Puigdemont said resulted in a 90 percent vote in favour of breaking away from Spain. But turnout was given as 43 percent as many anti-independence Catalans stayed away from the vote, which had been ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court, while others were hindered from voting by a police crackdown.

Spain to suspend Catalonia government, call elections

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu faces the club&#39;s members at an annual general meeting&nbsp;on Saturday&nbsp;fighting an increasingly difficult <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-government-meets-to-impose-direct-rule-on-catalonia-22695" target="_blank">battle to balance the conflicting interests of fans in favour of Catalan independence</a> and millions of supporters in the rest of Spain and around the world.

A powerful symbol of Catalonia, Barca have been caught in the political crossfire since an independence referendum for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, deemed illegal by the central government in Madrid, was marred by violent clashes as police forced their way into polling stations to seize ballot boxes on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/catalonia-38-hurt-in-crackdown-on-independence-vote-police-fire-rubber-bullets-in-barcelona-20877" target="_blank">October 1.</a>

That&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;afternoon, in conjunction with Barca&#39;s star-studded squad and after La Liga refused to postpone a match against Las Palmas at the club&#39;s iconic Camp Nou stadium, Bartomeu&#39;s board took the divisive decision to play behind closed doors as a protest.

Two board members subsequently resigned over the decision to go ahead with the game.

&quot;Our position is very clear, we want dialogue,&quot; Bartomeu reiterated after&nbsp;Wednesday&#39;s&nbsp;Champions League win over Olympiakos as a standoff between the Catalan and Spanish governments continues.

<a href="http://Critical point reached in Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister" target="_blank">Also read -- Critical point reached in Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister</a>

The club has backed Catalonia&#39;s right to self-determination in a referendum, but has never supported either side of the independence debate.

Barca unfurled a near 2,500 metre squared banner displaying the message &quot;Dialogue, Respect, Sport&quot; before kick-off&nbsp;on Wednesday.

However, that didn&#39;t go far enough for many just a day after two civil society leaders of the pro-independence campaign were jailed on charges of sedition.

The Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural groups led by Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart were invited to the directors&#39; box at the Camp Nou in midweek, but both refused the invitation.

&quot;We believe that the message of FC Barcelona doesn&#39;t represent the feeling of the majority of the fanbase,&quot; the ANC said in a statement.

Both groups had produced a banner calling for Sanchez and Cuixart&#39;s freedom that Barca prevented from entering the stadium for fear of reprisals from UEFA, who sanction any displays of a political nature and have previously fined the club for the flying of pro-separatist flags.

&#39;Never pleases anyone&#39;

Yet, with a 150,000 strong membership and 103 million Facebook followers, there are plenty Barca fans who would like the club to concentrate on points, not politics.

&quot;The club should always be an example of respect to a plurality of opinion among its members, who it is owned by, leaving politics to one side,&quot; various Barca supporters&#39; clubs in the northern Spanish region of Leon said in a joint statement&nbsp;on Wednesday.

&quot;On political issues, Bartomeu is cursed,&quot; online newspaper El Confidencial wrote&nbsp;on Thursday.

&quot;For some, he goes too far, for others not enough. No matter what he does, he never pleases anyone.&quot;

Bartomeu, therefore, faces a membership&nbsp;on Saturday, 92 percent of whom are resident in Catalonia, faced with an impossible mission.

However, the 54-year-old, a softly spoken businessman is a serial survivor of several club crises.

He assumed the role of president after Sandro Rossell resigned over the murky transfer that brought Neymar to Barcelona in 2013 and when pressured into calling early elections, rode the euphoria of winning a treble to secure a fresh mandate in 2015.

Neymar&#39;s departure to Paris Saint-Germain in August provoked a vote of no confidence from disgruntled members which also failed to garner sufficient support to succeed.

The Brazilian has so far not been missed as Barca lead La Liga and their Champions League group with a stunning record of 10 wins and one draw from their opening 11 games in all competitions.

And one of the primary orders of business&nbsp;on Saturday&nbsp;will be to pass a budget for the new season backed by a record revenue of 897 million euros ($1.06 billion).

Finances may ultimately be the tipping point for how Barca position themselves.

La Liga president Javier Tebas admitted this week the league&#39;s booming TV rights contracts would lose at least 20 percent of their value should Barca be cut adrift in an independent state.

And the financial repercussions for Barca would be even more severe.

&quot;They wouldn&#39;t be able to have world-leading figures,&quot; Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, professor of economics at Barcelona University, told AFP of a squad currently boasting the likes of five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi.

&quot;They would become a medium-sized club.&quot;

The club is fighting an increasingly difficult battle to balance the conflicting interests of fans in favour of Catalan independence and millions of supporters in the rest of Spain and around the world

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu faces the club's members at an annual general meeting on Saturday fighting an increasingly difficult battle to balance the conflicting interests of fans in favour of Catalan independence and millions of supporters in the rest of Spain and around the world. A powerful symbol of Catalonia, Barca have been caught in the political crossfire since an independence referendum for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, deemed illegal by the central government in Madrid, was marred by violent clashes as police forced their way into polling stations to seize ballot boxes on October 1. That Sunday afternoon, in conjunction with Barca's star-studded squad and after La Liga refused to postpone a match against Las Palmas at the club's iconic Camp Nou stadium, Bartomeu's board took the divisive decision to play behind closed doors as a protest. Two board members subsequently resigned over the decision to go ahead with the game. "Our position is very clear, we want dialogue," Bartomeu reiterated after Wednesday's Champions League win over Olympiakos as a standoff between the Catalan and Spanish governments continues. Also read -- Critical point reached in Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister The club has backed Catalonia's right to self-determination in a referendum, but has never supported either side of the independence debate. Barca unfurled a near 2,500 metre squared banner displaying the message "Dialogue, Respect, Sport" before kick-off on Wednesday. However, that didn't go far enough for many just a day after two civil society leaders of the pro-independence campaign were jailed on charges of sedition. The Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural groups led by Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart were invited to the directors' box at the Camp Nou in midweek, but both refused the invitation. "We believe that the message of FC Barcelona doesn't represent the feeling of the majority of the fanbase," the ANC said in a statement. Both groups had produced a banner calling for Sanchez and Cuixart's freedom that Barca prevented from entering the stadium for fear of reprisals from UEFA, who sanction any displays of a political nature and have previously fined the club for the flying of pro-separatist flags. 'Never pleases anyone' Yet, with a 150,000 strong membership and 103 million Facebook followers, there are plenty Barca fans who would like the club to concentrate on points, not politics. "The club should always be an example of respect to a plurality of opinion among its members, who it is owned by, leaving politics to one side," various Barca supporters' clubs in the northern Spanish region of Leon said in a joint statement on Wednesday. "On political issues, Bartomeu is cursed," online newspaper El Confidencial wrote on Thursday. "For some, he goes too far, for others not enough. No matter what he does, he never pleases anyone." Bartomeu, therefore, faces a membership on Saturday, 92 percent of whom are resident in Catalonia, faced with an impossible mission. However, the 54-year-old, a softly spoken businessman is a serial survivor of several club crises. He assumed the role of president after Sandro Rossell resigned over the murky transfer that brought Neymar to Barcelona in 2013 and when pressured into calling early elections, rode the euphoria of winning a treble to secure a fresh mandate in 2015. Neymar's departure to Paris Saint-Germain in August provoked a vote of no confidence from disgruntled members which also failed to garner sufficient support to succeed. The Brazilian has so far not been missed as Barca lead La Liga and their Champions League group with a stunning record of 10 wins and one draw from their opening 11 games in all competitions. And one of the primary orders of business on Saturday will be to pass a budget for the new season backed by a record revenue of 897 million euros ($1.06 billion). Finances may ultimately be the tipping point for how Barca position themselves. La Liga president Javier Tebas admitted this week the league's booming TV rights contracts would lose at least 20 percent of their value should Barca be cut adrift in an independent state. And the financial repercussions for Barca would be even more severe. "They wouldn't be able to have world-leading figures," Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, professor of economics at Barcelona University, told AFP of a squad currently boasting the likes of five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. "They would become a medium-sized club."

Catalan crisis leaves Barca between rock and hard place

Catalonia&#39;s secessionist leader faced increased pressure on Monday to abandon plans to declare independence from Spain, with France and Germany expressing support for the country&#39;s unity.

The Madrid government, grappling with Spain&#39;s biggest political crisis since an attempted military coup in 1981, said it would respond immediately to any such unilateral declaration.

A week after a vote on independence which the government did its utmost to thwart, the tension also took its toll on the business climate of Spain&#39;s wealthiest region.

Three more Catalonia-based companies joined a business exodus from the region that has gathered steam since the October 1 referendum.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/catalonians-shift-bank-accounts-to-other-regions-of-spain-21194" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;Catalonians move bank accounts to other regions of Spain</a>

Property group Inmobiliaria Colonial&nbsp;and infrastructure firm Abertis&nbsp;both decided to relocate their head offices to Madrid and telecoms firm Cellnex said it would do the same for as long as political uncertainty in Catalonia continued.

Publishing house Grupo Planeta said it would move its registered office from Barcelona to Madrid if the Catalan parliament unilaterally declared independence.

Spain&#39;s finance minister said it was the Catalan government&#39;s fault the companies were leaving.

Regional leader Carles Puigdemont is due to address the regional parliament on Tuesday afternoon and Madrid is worried it will vote for a unilateral declaration of independence.

Catalan officials say people voted overwhelmingly for secession in the October 1 referendum, which had been declared illegal by the government. Some 900 people were injured on polling day when police fired rubber bullets and stormed crowds with truncheons to disrupt the voting.

The issue has deeply divided the northeastern region as well as the Spanish nation. Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against breaking away in Barcelona at the weekend. They say the referendum did not show the true will of the region because those who want to stay in Spain mainly boycotted it.

Buoyed by the show of support, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamar&iacute;a said on Monday: &quot;I&#39;m calling on the sensible people in the Catalan government ... don&#39;t jump off the edge because you&#39;ll take the people with you.&quot;

&quot;If there is a unilateral declaration of independence there will be decisions made to restore law and democracy,&quot; she told COPE radio station.

Underlining conflicting pressures on Puigdemont, the small, anti-capitalist Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) party, which has an outsized influence on his government, said the outcome of the vote must be applied.

&quot;We don&#39;t want to hold up the declaration of the Catalan Republic,&quot; CUP lawmaker Benet Salellas told a news conference.

European heavyweights Germany and France weighed in against a split.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday, stressing her support for Spain&#39;s unity but encouraging dialogue, her spokesman said.

France said it would not recognise Catalonia if the region unilaterally declared independence. If secession were recognised it would lead to Catalonia&#39;s automatic exit from the European Union, a French junior minister said.

&quot;This crisis needs to be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish politics,&quot; France&#39;s European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau said.

The European Union has shown no interest in an independent Catalonia, despite an appeal by Puigdemont for Brussels to mediate in the crisis.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/spain-braces-for-tuesday-showdown-amid-calls-for-catalonia-parliament-special-session-5855">Spain braces for Tuesday showdown amid calls for Catalonia Parliament special session</a>

New elections?

Under Catalonia&#39;s referendum law, deemed unconstitutional by Madrid, a vote for independence in the assembly on Tuesday would start a six-month process envisaging divorce talks with Spain before regional elections and a final act of separation.

Rajoy gained some political cover on Monday for the so-called &quot;nuclear option&quot; of removing Catalonia&#39;s government and calling new regional elections.

Opposition Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez said he would &quot;support the response of the rule of law in the face of any attempt to break social harmony&quot;, but stopped short of explicitly saying his party would back dissolving the regional parliament.

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau advised Puigdemont against proclaiming independence on the basis of the referendum results and she urged Rajoy to rule out suspending Catalonia&#39;s autonomy.

Losing Catalonia, which has its own language and culture, would deprive Spain of a fifth of its economic output and more than a quarter of exports.

The crisis has reopened old divisions in a nation where the right-wing dictatorship of General Francisco Franco is a living memory easily revived by strong displays of nationalism.

A spokesman for the ruling People&#39;s Party (PP) invoked the memory of former Catalan leader Lluis Companys, who was arrested for declaring independence in 1934 and later executed.

&quot;We hope they don&#39;t declare anything tomorrow, because anyone doing so might end up like him 83 years ago, in prison,&quot; Pablo Casado told a news conference in Madrid.

Many moderate Spaniards, including in Catalonia, oppose a breakaway. Regional authorities say about 90 percent of votes in the referendum were for secession, but turnout was only 43 percent.

Sunday&#39;s anti-independence demonstration helped calm financial markets, as did credit rating agencies Moody&#39;s and DBRS which said they expected Spain to remain united. Spanish borrowing costs fell to a one-week low and the main share index &lt;.IBEX&gt; touched a week high.

Puigdemont appeared resolute on Sunday, saying the referendum law called for a declaration of independence in the event of a &quot;yes&quot; vote. &quot;We will apply what the law says,&quot; he told TV3.

Catalonia&#39;s High Court asked for more security, specifically drafting in the national police, who were called in to stop the referendum when the Catalan police force failed to act.

Puigdemont said on Sunday he had not been in contact with the Madrid government for some time because it refused to discuss independence.

&quot;What is happening in Catalonia is real, whether they like it or not. Millions of people have voted, who want to decide. We have to talk about this,&quot; he said.

Rajoy has said repeatedly he will not talk to the Catalan leaders unless they drop their plans to declare independence.

France and Germany have expressed support for the country's unity

Catalonia's secessionist leader faced increased pressure on Monday to abandon plans to declare independence from Spain, with France and Germany expressing support for the country's unity. The Madrid government, grappling with Spain's biggest political crisis since an attempted military coup in 1981, said it would respond immediately to any such unilateral declaration. A week after a vote on independence which the government did its utmost to thwart, the tension also took its toll on the business climate of Spain's wealthiest region. Three more Catalonia-based companies joined a business exodus from the region that has gathered steam since the October 1 referendum. Also Read: Catalonians move bank accounts to other regions of Spain Property group Inmobiliaria Colonial and infrastructure firm Abertis both decided to relocate their head offices to Madrid and telecoms firm Cellnex said it would do the same for as long as political uncertainty in Catalonia continued. Publishing house Grupo Planeta said it would move its registered office from Barcelona to Madrid if the Catalan parliament unilaterally declared independence. Spain's finance minister said it was the Catalan government's fault the companies were leaving. Regional leader Carles Puigdemont is due to address the regional parliament on Tuesday afternoon and Madrid is worried it will vote for a unilateral declaration of independence. Catalan officials say people voted overwhelmingly for secession in the October 1 referendum, which had been declared illegal by the government. Some 900 people were injured on polling day when police fired rubber bullets and stormed crowds with truncheons to disrupt the voting. The issue has deeply divided the northeastern region as well as the Spanish nation. Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against breaking away in Barcelona at the weekend. They say the referendum did not show the true will of the region because those who want to stay in Spain mainly boycotted it. Buoyed by the show of support, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaría said on Monday: "I'm calling on the sensible people in the Catalan government ... don't jump off the edge because you'll take the people with you." "If there is a unilateral declaration of independence there will be decisions made to restore law and democracy," she told COPE radio station. Underlining conflicting pressures on Puigdemont, the small, anti-capitalist Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) party, which has an outsized influence on his government, said the outcome of the vote must be applied. "We don't want to hold up the declaration of the Catalan Republic," CUP lawmaker Benet Salellas told a news conference. European heavyweights Germany and France weighed in against a split. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday, stressing her support for Spain's unity but encouraging dialogue, her spokesman said. France said it would not recognise Catalonia if the region unilaterally declared independence. If secession were recognised it would lead to Catalonia's automatic exit from the European Union, a French junior minister said. "This crisis needs to be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish politics," France's European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau said. The European Union has shown no interest in an independent Catalonia, despite an appeal by Puigdemont for Brussels to mediate in the crisis. Also Watch: Spain braces for Tuesday showdown amid calls for Catalonia Parliament special session New elections? Under Catalonia's referendum law, deemed unconstitutional by Madrid, a vote for independence in the assembly on Tuesday would start a six-month process envisaging divorce talks with Spain before regional elections and a final act of separation. Rajoy gained some political cover on Monday for the so-called "nuclear option" of removing Catalonia's government and calling new regional elections. Opposition Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez said he would "support the response of the rule of law in the face of any attempt to break social harmony", but stopped short of explicitly saying his party would back dissolving the regional parliament. Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau advised Puigdemont against proclaiming independence on the basis of the referendum results and she urged Rajoy to rule out suspending Catalonia's autonomy. Losing Catalonia, which has its own language and culture, would deprive Spain of a fifth of its economic output and more than a quarter of exports. The crisis has reopened old divisions in a nation where the right-wing dictatorship of General Francisco Franco is a living memory easily revived by strong displays of nationalism. A spokesman for the ruling People's Party (PP) invoked the memory of former Catalan leader Lluis Companys, who was arrested for declaring independence in 1934 and later executed. "We hope they don't declare anything tomorrow, because anyone doing so might end up like him 83 years ago, in prison," Pablo Casado told a news conference in Madrid. Many moderate Spaniards, including in Catalonia, oppose a breakaway. Regional authorities say about 90 percent of votes in the referendum were for secession, but turnout was only 43 percent. Sunday's anti-independence demonstration helped calm financial markets, as did credit rating agencies Moody's and DBRS which said they expected Spain to remain united. Spanish borrowing costs fell to a one-week low and the main share index <.IBEX> touched a week high. Puigdemont appeared resolute on Sunday, saying the referendum law called for a declaration of independence in the event of a "yes" vote. "We will apply what the law says," he told TV3. Catalonia's High Court asked for more security, specifically drafting in the national police, who were called in to stop the referendum when the Catalan police force failed to act. Puigdemont said on Sunday he had not been in contact with the Madrid government for some time because it refused to discuss independence. "What is happening in Catalonia is real, whether they like it or not. Millions of people have voted, who want to decide. We have to talk about this," he said. Rajoy has said repeatedly he will not talk to the Catalan leaders unless they drop their plans to declare independence.

Catalan leader under pressure to drop independence

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