Another civil war in Europe? as Catalonia declares independence

Catalonia has declared independence from Spain following a secret vote by parliament in Barcelona on Friday while the Spanish parliament quickly approved direct rule over the region.

Seventy lawmakers voted in favour, vs 10 who voted against, while two cast blank ballots in a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Speaking in the Catalan Parliament building after the landmark vote, Puigdemont said legitimately elected lawmakers had cast their ballots according to a mandate earned in the October 1 referendum but acknowledged that the path ahead would not be easy.

We are facing a period in which we will need to stay strong and in peace, dignified and civil as we have always been, and I'm sure we will keep being so," he said.

The institutions and the people together built nations, societies, and a nation cannot be built without one of these elements.

Supporters followed his words with applause and repeated chants of "freedom, freedom."

The Parliament of Catalonia constitutes the Catalan Republic, as an independent, sovereign, democratic, social State under the rule of law pic.twitter.com/RW5xck7PYN

— Catalan Government (@catalangov) October 27, 2017

Puigdemont had announced independence on October 10, but suspended the declaration after eight seconds to encourage dialogue with Madrid.

In less than an hour after the declaration, the Spanish senate voted in favour of the application of Article 155 of the Constitution, which allows Madrid to directly administer the breakaway region.

The names of those who voted for independence were withheld, as the Spanish attorney general promised to charge those who voted in favour of independence with “rebellion”.

Following the declaration, Spainish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in a tweet, called for calm.

I ask for calm from all Spainards," Rajoy said. "The rule of law will restore legality in Catalonia."

Rajoy had told senators direct rule was needed to return "law, democracy and stability" to Catalonia.

Spain is a serious country, a great nation and we will not allow some people to blow up our Constitution, he said to journalists in Madrid.

He urged Spanish citizens to remain calm, saying that the government will respond to the situation in a "proportionate way."

The government will make any decisions needed to go back to legality, and we will do that this evening," he said.

Earlier this month, Catalans backed independence in a disputed vote which the Catalan government said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part in the referendum, 90% were in favour of independence. But Spain's Constitutional Court had ruled the vote illegal. 

What next? another civil war in Europe?