Catalan Leader Faces Looming Deadline to End Secession Bid

Catalonia’s separatist leader is facing an imminent deadline to withdraw a bid to secede from Spain.

But an official from Carles Puigdemont’s party says that he has no intention of doing that and that he plans to make a full declaration of independence in the next few days if Spain’s government resorts to taking over control of Catalonia’s semi-autonomous powers.

PDECat party coordinator Marta Pascal outlined Puigdemont’s plans after a meeting late Wednesday.

Spain has threatened to take direct control of the autonomous region if Puigdemont fails to meet the Thursday cutoff.

Spain’s government says it would be willing to hold off on doing that if the Catalan government were to call a snap regional election. But a Catalan official has ruled that out.