The Spanish government wants to enact Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution in the aftermath of the October 1 referendum held in Catalonia. The Spanish senate will vote on enacting Article 155 and holding snap elections in Catalonia today.

Article 155 allows for the removal of the Catalan Regional Premier Carles Puigdemont and his government and the dissolution of the regional parliament. Many important ministries and institutions’ authority will also be handed over to Madrid.

TURKEY’S KHK’S, SPAIN’S ARTICLE 155

The attempts at direct intervention by the Spanish government on Catalonia are likened to the Erdoğan government’s Statutory Decrees (Kanun Hükmünde Kararname - KHK) enacted in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan. Like the Erdoğan regime, the Madrid administration also has the media among their first targets.

If Article 155 is enacted, the media institutions in the autonomous region of Catalonia will be controlled by Madrid. Catalan media consider this step a “coup” and say the Madrid government is mimicking the Erdoğan regime’s practices in recent years.

Lluis Caelles, administrator in the prominent Catalan television TV3 with 1900 employees, said: “The Spanish government is already preparing pro-Spanish personnel to continue broadcasting after they take over our media.”

Caelles spoke to news outlet Telepolis and said: “Spain treats us like Erdoğan does in Turkey. Democratic and peaceful institutions have been targeted. We don’t have journalist friends under arrest for now, but two activists calling for protests have been detained.”

PUIGDEMONT: NO SNAP ELECTIONS

The independence referendum had a 43% voter turnout despite all attempts by the Spanish central government on the contrary, the confiscation of ballots and ballot boxes and using thousands of police officers to stop access to ballots.

At least 1 million voters out of the eligible 5.3 million in Catalonia have been unable to access ballots. The Catalan public’s support for holding the referendum was at 70%. In a speech yesterday, Catalan Premier Carles Puigdemont said they won’t be holding snap elections until the Spanish government completely stops threatening the region.