Following a secret ballot, MPs in the Catalan parliament
declared independence from Spain, with the regional leader Carlos
Puigdemont saying the people had completed “a long-desired step.”
Lawmakers opposed to independence boycotted the vote.
The
assembly’s speaker announced that the motion was passed with 70 votes in
favor, 10 against, and two blank ballots, according to Reuters.
Earlier, MP’s from the three main national parties – the People's Party,
the Socialists and Ciudadanos – staged a walkout in protest at the
vote.
The declaration of independence led to a celebration among thousands
of cheering supporters in the streets of Barcelona, the region’s
capital. Before the secret ballot, the Catalonian regional parliament
also voted in favor of starting the “constituent process” to split from Madrid.
“In the days ahead we must keep to our values of pacifism and dignity. It's in our, in your hands to build the republic,"
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont told a crowd of hundreds of
supporters at Catalonia's parliament building following the vote.
He added that "today the parliament fulfilled the long-desired and fought-for step, and culminated the mandate of the ballot boxes," referencing the October 1 independence referendum.
Puigdemont's remarks prompted supporters to erupt into the Catalan anthem 'Els Segadors' (The Reapers) and chants of "Liberty!" Shortly
after the Catalan vote, the upper house of Spain's parliament approved
direct rule by Madrid.The Spanish government will now hold a special
cabinet meeting at 6pm local time on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister
Mariano Rajoy said.
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