Catalonia government sworn in, ending Madrid direct rule

The cabinet led by Quim Torra, a close aide to former Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont, took over on the day Socialist Pedro Sanchez, who has said he wants talks on Catalonia but opposes any independence referendum, was officially sworn in as new Spanish prime minister.

By: Reuters | Madrid | Published: June 2, 2018 10:39:35 pm

President of the Catalonia regional government Quim Torra talks next to the speaker of the Catalan Parliament Roger Torrent (left) during a swearing-in ceremony at the Palau Generalitat in Barcelona on Saturday. (AP)

Nationalists regained control of Catalonia’s regional government on Saturday as a new cabinet was sworn in, automatically ending just over seven months of direct rule from Madrid by Spain’s central government.

The cabinet led by Quim Torra, a close aide to former Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont, took over on the day Socialist Pedro Sanchez, who has said he wants talks on Catalonia but opposes any independence referendum, was officially sworn in as new Spanish prime minister.

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Quim Torra sworn in as new Catalan leader

Quim Torra is sworn in as Catalonia's new leader bringing an end to seven months of direct rule from Madrid.

Sanchez’ predecessor, the conservative Mariano Rajoy, imposed direct rule over Catalonia at the end of October after nationalists led by Puigdemont held an independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts.

According to the Spanish constitution, direct rule from Madrid was due to end the moment a new regional government was put in place in Barcelona.

It took several tense months, after snap regional elections were held in December, for Catalan nationalists to get a new cabinet approved by the regional parliament and go past Madrid’s moves to block any candidate in self-imposed exile, like Puigdemont, or in jail.

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