Catalan Referendum (1 Viewer)

BARCELONA—Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy set a Monday deadline for Catalonia’s leader to clarify whether he declared independence, taking the first step toward potentially stripping the region of some of its powers and escalating his confrontation with the separatists.

Mr. Rajoy on Wednesday accused the separatist leader Carles Puigdemont of deliberately sowing confusion the prior night by declaring the region an independent republic based on the results of an unauthorized referendum, but immediately asking lawmakers to suspend the declaration.

Mr. Rajoy’s demand opens the way to the unprecedented implementation of a constitutional provision that allows the government to revoke some of a region’s power if its actions threaten Spain’s interests.

“The response that the [Catalan] leader gives to today’s demand will determine the future of events over the next days,” Mr. Rajoy said.

But Mr. Rajoy also assured lawmakers in Madrid on Wednesday that he remained open to dialogue. The prime minister said he had started talks with a main opposition party to debate changes to Spain’s constitution.

Some lawmakers have called for amendments that would allow Catalonia and Spain’s 16 other autonomous regions to hold a referendum on independence, as long as all Spaniards can vote. Others are pushing to grant Catalonia greater powers in addition to the control it has over its regional police force, schools and health system. Such changes could undermine separatists’ argument that Madrid isn’t willing to budge to meet Catalans’ demands.

The Spanish prime minister must strike a delicate balance as he works to keep his country whole, upholding Spanish law while not inadvertently antagonizing the Catalan majority and triggering more separatist support and street protests.

Mr. Rajoy and other political leaders see Catalan authorities’ offer to talk as a negotiating tactic and an attempt to garner international sympathy for their cause. Catalan lawmakers have requested international mediation over the issue.

“I can’t negotiate when the negotiations consists of ‘referendum no matter what,’” Mr. Rajoy told lawmakers. “Mediation isn’t possible between what’s lawful and what’s disobedient and illegal.”

Thousands of people rallied on Sunday in central Barcelona to protest plans by Catalonia's regional government to secede from Spain. Photo: Getty Images

Spanish courts have repeatedly said it is unconstitutional for a region to take steps to break with the rest of the country. Opposition lawmakers also backed Mr. Rajoy’s rejection of outside mediation, saying the national parliament is the appropriate place for such negotiations.

Mr. Rajoy’s demand for clarification opens the way to the unprecedented implementation of a constitutional provision that allow allows the government to revoke some of a region’s power if its actions threaten Spain’s interests. Spain’s constitution pledges to uphold the country’s “indissoluble unity.”

“If Mr. Puigdemont shows his willingness to respect the law and re-establish institutional normality, it would put an end to a period of instability, tension and a fracture to [our] coexistence,” said Mr. Rajoy in televised remarks.

Mr. Rajoy said that the Catalan leader had until Monday at 10 a.m. to clarify whether he had declared independence. If Mr. Puigdemont confirms that he did—or if he doesn’t respond by the deadline—he would then have until Oct. 19 to rectify his secessionist bid.

If Mr. Puigdemont didn’t back down, the government would then ask the upper house of parliament to approve the suspension of some of the region’s powers. The government must specify which functions—for instance, the regional police force—are to come under Madrid’s control.

Mr. Rajoy’s base broadly supports a hard line against Catalan separatists, and surveys show that a majority of Spaniards support unity. Pro-union groups gathered hundreds of thousands of people in Barcelona on Sunday to call on Catalan leaders to halt their bid to split with Spain. Leaders from two of Spain’s main opposition parties, the Socialist Party and Ciudadanos, have expressed support for Mr. Rajoy’s efforts.

But a heavy-handed response could also help Mr. Puigdemont to unite a hodgepodge of separatist groups who want an independent Catalonia but divided in the best way to get there. Some observers believe separatist sentiment has risen since Spanish police clashed with voters during an Oct. 1 referendum on independence.

Mr. Puigdemont declared Catalonia an independent republic on Tuesday based on the results of that referendum but then immediately asked regional lawmakers to suspend that declaration for a number of weeks to allow Catalan leaders more time to negotiate with the central government.

Mr. Puigdemont’s “ambiguity is aimed at putting pressure on Madrid,” said Antonio Barroso, analyst at Teneo Intelligence, a consulting firm. “By saying that he is open to negotiations, [Mr. Puigdemont] wants to tag Rajoy with the blame of any tensions” that could flare up in the coming days.

While Mr. Puigdemont’s statement on Tuesday was a watered-down version of the immediate and unilateral break with Spain some hard-line separatists had been pushing for, Mr. Rajoy said the Catalan leader was still flouting the rule of law. Mr. Puigdemont and dozens of separatist lawmakers also signed a document Tuesday night proclaiming Catalonia’s independence from Spain, but the legal status was initially unclear.

Mr. Rajoy’s demands also put Mr. Puigdemont in a tight corner. If the Catalan leader responds by confirming he declared independence, the government is likely to trigger the constitutional provision, known as Article 155.

But if he backs off, hard-line members of the Catalan government could withdraw their support. Mr. Puigdemont’s coalition holds a majority of seats in the regional parliament thanks to the support of lawmakers advocating immediate secession from Spain.

Before Mr. Rajoy spoke, the spokesman for Catalonia’s government, Jordi Turull said that if the Spanish government “applies [Article] 155, it means there is no willingness for dialogue. And then we must be consistent with what we have committed to with the people of Catalonia,” implying the drive for independence.

Around 40% of Catalonia’s five million eligible voters cast a ballot in the independence referendum, in which nine out of 10 voted in favor of secession, according to regional officials. The referendum was plagued by irregularities, however, and was boycotted by parties opposing independence.