Catalonia's President, Carles Puigdemont, has been forced to delay any declaration he is planning about the region's independence from Spain.
Madrid has made sure that any meeting of Catalonia's parliament on Monday would be illegal, leaving Puigdemont to make his expected declaration tomorrow, Tuesday 10th October, but a huge ‘anti-independence’ rally in Barcelona on Sunday has opened up a weak flank.
Between 250,000 and 400,000 anti-independence Catalans, and supporters from other regions, marched through Barcelona in protest at Catalonia's moves towards independence from Spain, well aware of the result of the illegal October 1st referendum that saw 90% of voters in Catalonia in favour of independence.
The French government said on Monday that it would not recognise an independent Catalonia, and that any independence would result in Catalonia's automatic exclusion from the European Union.
Ricardo Mourinho Felix, Portugal's assistant Secretary of State for Finance, said the political stability of Catalonia and Spain is a Europe-wide concern and that the ongoing political instability is causing concern across the Eurozone.
Catalonia's leader are ignoring threats from Brussels and Madrid and, despite repeated warnings, have confirmed that they will respect the independence referendum and declare Catalonia's separation from Spain - it's just a question of when.
Mourinho Felix said, "We are monitoring the situation in Catalonia quite closely. Spain is one of our main trading partners and any events that may unfold in Spain are quite important to Portugal.
"We think that the situation will evolve in a positive manner and an orderly situation for the problem will come, but it's still to be discussed.
"It's not just a problem for Portugal, it's a problem for the euro area as a whole who are concerned about the situation as devoted Europeans."
Nathalie Loiseau, France's Minister of European Affairs, said any declaration of independence would leave Catalonia isolated, "If independence was to be recognised, which is not something that's being discussed, the most immediate consequence would be that Catalonia automatically left the European Union."
Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, said he was determined to prevent a breakaway by Catalonia, the powerhouse of the Spanish economy.
"Spain will not be divided, and national unity will be preserved. To this end we will employ all the means we have within the law. It is up to the government to make decisions, and to do so at the right moment," Rajoy said on Monday.
Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, said that the government would invoke its powers and take control of the regional government if Catalonia declared independence.
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, said Spain was in its "worst institutional crisis since democracy began" adding that Spain's political representatives should find a solution.
With Rajoy turning down mediation with Puigdemont, and with both sides unlikely to sit down and talk things though, the illegal declaration of independence for Catalonia looks likely to be made.
Comments
If the whole of Spain held a vote on Catalonian independence (as Rajoy would have it), the answer would probably be "no". So what the Spanish government fears is a proper and legal referendum in Catalonia alone, because the answer may be "yes". How long can the Spanish government go on effectively holding one part of their country as an unwilling prisoner?
Better surely to prove to Catalonia the value of continued Spanishness, and to allow them a legal and proper referendum. The result being advisory rather than mandatory.
With centuries of revolts, some going on today, against what constitutes Spanish culture in the South and Central American countries.