Catalan leader declares independence, suspends further action pending talks

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said on Tuesday that despite having a mandate to declare the region’s independence from Spain, it would await dialogue with the central Madrid government.  

 “I assume the mandate that Catalonia should become an independent state in the form of a republic,” said Puigdemont in the region’s parliament. “I propose suspending the effects of the declaration of independence to undertake talks to reach an agreed solution.”

The Spanish government has said any unilateral declaration of independence would be illegal, promising action “to restore law and democracy” in the eventuality that the parliament of the north-eastern region decides to press ahead with its plans.

Among the options available to Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy are the dissolution of the Catalan parliament as well as asking the courts to strike down the declaration as unconstitutional.

Puigdemont’s speech was highly critical of the Spanish government's response to the referendum but he said Catalans had nothing against Spain or Spaniards, and that they wanted to understand each other better.

Despite calls for dialogue with Madrid, the decision to declare independence complicates any potential talks with Madrid, which has stated it would be open to talks provided that Catalan leaders do not insist on independence.