Catalonia Declares Independence, As Spain Prepares To Seize Power
Catalan lawmakers have voted to establish an independent republic. Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate has given Spain's prime minister the authority to institute direct rule of the semi-autonomous region.
Lawmakers in Catalonia have declared independence from Spain, in a historic vote that prompted protests and celebration
The government in Madrid, vowing to halt any would-be secession, has authorized the Spanish prime minister to take over direct rule of the previously semi-autonomous region.
The vote in Catalonia's Parliament comes nearly a month after the region.
