Spain is to begin the process of imposing direct rule on Catalonia after a disputed independence vote.
Spain’s political showdown with Catalonia is set to reach a new level on Thursday (19 October) when political leaders in Madrid and Barcelona are expected to make good on pledges made to their supporters to stick to their tough positions over the region’s future.
What are the views of Catalans on both sides of the argument?
Catalonia’s independence vote held on 1 October failed to meet the international standards to be considered as a referendum, the head of the international observation mission told EURACTIV.com on Wednesday (18 October).
The conservative ÖVP led by Sebastian Kurz scored a clear victory in Austria’s legislative elections on Sunday, garnering 31.4 percent of the vote. The right-wing populist FPÖ came second with 27.4 percent. Both parties gained around seven percentage points. Europe’s commentators analyse why the FPÖ’s strong showing hasn’t caused much of an outcry this time.
A clear majority of EU citizens now believe that EU membership is good for their country, according to a survey of how they view the EU and its institutions, released on Wednesday (18 October).
Why is there a Catalan crisis? The answer is in its past, as Europe correspondent Gavin Lee explains.