Catalan parliament votes to declare independence

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The Catalan regional parliament on Friday voted in favor of making a formal declaration of independence from Spain.

The move came on the same day as the Spanish Senate met to trigger Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, the law that will allow the central government to take over the autonomous region.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont hands in his ballot during a vote on independence from Spain at the Catalan regional Parliament in Barcelona, Spain, October 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The independence motion was passed in the 135-strong assembly with 70 votes in favor, 10 against and 2 blank ballots, the assembly's speaker said.

Minutes after the vote, Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for calm in a tweet post.

"I ask for calm from all Spaniards. The rule of law will restore legality in Catalonia," Rajoy wrote.

Twitter Photo

Spain is in the worst political crisis in decades after Catalonia held an independence referendum on October 1, which the Spanish government declared was illegal.

The next day, Catalan leader Puigdemont said 90 percent of voters opted for independence on a 43 percent turnout.

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