[WATCH] Updated | Calatonia declares independence as Spain PM demands direct rule

The Catalan parliament has voted by 70 votes against 10 to declare independence from Spain as the country faces its largest political crisis in decades.

The motion called for the transfer of legal powers from Spain to an independent Catalonia.

But the Spanish Constitutional Court is likely to declare the decision illegal, and few in the international community will recognise Catalan statehood.

Meanwhile, the Spanish senate in Madrid voted in favour of a request by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to approve direct rule over the restless region.

Rajoy said that he wanted to dismiss Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and his vice-president, as well as all the regional ministers.

Rajoy said he was calling for exceptional measures as there was no other choice and “law, democracy and stability” still needed to be returned to Catalonia.

He went on to accuse the Catalan government of fracturing society and dividing families. Many had already suffered too much, he said, and the uncertainty was further driving businesses out of the region.

"The thing that Catalans need protecting from is not what they're calling Spanish imperialism, but a minority who, in an intolerant way, declare themselves the owners of Catalonia and consider as exclusive a history, culture and feelings that are the heritage of the community," he said.

Rajoy’s speech was applauded in the Spanish Senate, where his Partido Popular has a majority.

Article 155 of the Spanish constitution empowers the government to take "all measures necessary to compel" a region in case of a crisis. This would enable Madrid to essentially take full control of Catalonia’s finances, public media and police.

The declaration of independence and the strong response from the government in Madrid has left people confused as to what will happen next.

Madrid could take control of Catalonia's finances, police and publicly owned media apart from dismissing the regional president.