Catalan leaders and the Spanish government are on a political collision course. In less than 24-hours, Spain's Senate is expected to approve emergency measures to take control of the semi-autonomous region. Earlier, Catalonia's president declared he will NOT call snap elections. CGTN's Al Goodman explains what it all means.

 

As tensions rise over Catalonia's bid to break away from Spain, the response from many Spaniards has been - flags. Show the flag, and proudly, the thinking goes. It's not normal to see this public display of patriotism in the capital, Madrid, and in other Spanish cities. But these are not normal times. This dean at the IE university in Madrid, is worried about the political impasse between Madrid and Barcelona.

 

MANUEL MUNIZ, DEAN SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS "It basically says that we live in a black and white world regarding this issue. So we're now stuck in these positions that are very hard to move out of and that determine the dynamic of the process. Politics is the art of grey."

 

Suddenly, the Spanish Senate is in the political spotlight, which is also not normal here. It's the lower house, the Spanish parliament, where the main laws are passed by the most powerful politicians like the Prime Minister. By contrast, the Senate usually stays in the political background. But the Senate has the power at this crucial time. Thanks to an obscure part of Spain's Constitution. It's called Article 155, almost at the end of the Constitution. It says if a region like Catalonia doesn't follow the law of the land - like trying to break away - the Senate can authorize the Spanish government to take control. The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, declined an invitation at the Senate Thursday to argue why Madrid shouldn't intervene in Catalonia. He said the Senate had already made up its mind. But this senator, from the Prime Minister's conservative party, is not surprised, despite Puigdemont's repeated calls for dialogue.

 

JOSE RAMON BAUZA SPANISH SENATOR "I think all of us are disappointed because if you always talking about dialogue and you don't want to talk in the main important institution that is the Senate, it's quite difficult to believe."

 

By contrast, there's plenty of dialogue at Restaurante El Senador, right across the street from the Senate. Senators often come here. The owner says they get along just fine over a meal, often sitting at this cozy table. Even if they're from different political parties and regions, like Catalonia. So he wonders why they can't now find a solution to the conflict.

 

ANGEL GUTIERREZ RESTAURANT OWNER "Over there in the Senate, they have to show that they are bigger and stronger. They don't understand each other because they don't want to. It's sort of, 'if you want this, I want even more."

 

JOSE RAMON BAUZA SPANISH SENATOR "It's not a good situation. It's a very bad situation. Nobody wanted to arrive to this point."

 

AL GOODMAN MADRID "The Spanish Senate seems just hours away from authorizing the government to temporarily take control of Catalonia. A big majority of senators are expected to vote for that since the government's conservatives have a majority here. But over in Catalonia, it's still not clear what the response would be to a decisive effort to shut down the drive for independence. Al Goodman, CGTN, Madrid."