Spain's direct rule takes hold in Catalonia as secessionists accept elections

Spain's direct ruleover Catalonia took hold smoothly on Monday as employees ignoredcalls for civil disobedience to turn up for work, andsecessionist parties agreed to stand in new elections, implyingacceptance that the regional government was dissolved.

Ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont travelled toBelgium with several other members of his sacked administration,a senior member of Spain's ruling People's Party said. After a day of rumours on his whereabouts, Umberto Gambini, the head of office of Catalan legislator Ramon Tremosa, on Monday said,"He is in Brussels.Yes confirmed."

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Spain'sstate prosecutor, Attorney-General Jose Manuel Maza, called forcharges of rebellion and sedition, as well as fraud and misuseof funds, to be brought against Catalan leaders.

Catalonia, a prosperous region with its own language andculture, triggered Spain's biggest crisis in decades by holdingan independence referendum on Oct. 1, which Spanish courtscalled illegal.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy assumed direct control of theregion on Friday, sacked its secessionist government and calleda snap election for Dec. 21.

Calm on Barcelona streets

Monday's calm on the streets of Barcelona resolved a weekendof uncertainty during which it was not clear how the regionwould respond to central control.

Some of the most prominent ousted Catalan leaders, includingPuigdemont and Vice-President Oriol Junqueras, had said theywould not accept their dismissal. But their respective parties,PdeCat and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, said on Mondaythey would take part in the election, a tacit acceptance thatparliament had been dissolved.

La Sexta television said Puigdemont could seek asylum inBelgium together with five other sacked members of hisadministration.

The regional legislature cancelled a meeting for Tuesday,another signal legislatorsaccepted they had been dismissed.

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A call for widespread civil disobedience from the main civicgroups behind the secessionist campaign failed to attract manyfollowers. Most public sector workers such as teachers,firefighters and the police started worked as normal on Mondayand there was no sign of widespread absenteeism.

A trade union, Intersindical-CSC, which had called for ageneral strike in Catalonia, said on Monday it had cancelled it.

'Things have to carry on'

Sacked Catalan leaders have remained ambiguous but theystopped short of directly defying Spain's authority. There wereno signs of any spontaneous demonstration taking place.

Puigdemont posted a picture on Instagram taken in theregional government headquarters, but was not seen entering.

Regional transport chief Josep Rull posted on Twitter apicture of him working in his office but he was later seenleaving the building. Spain's transport minister had said in aradio interview Rull would be allowed to collect his personalbelongings but not work there.

When he left, Rull said he would now attend a PdeCat partymeeting: "Let's go on with the scheduled agenda," he said.

Other regional leaders did not turn up to their officesthough some of their staff did. One of 140 senior officialsappointed directly by the outgoing government described thesituation as "normal" and said he had not yet received anyletter of dismissal.

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"We civil servants want everything to be normal. Things haveto carry on. The day-to-day work still has to be done," said theofficial, who works with the outgoing vice-president, Junqueras.

Two hundred thousand public sector workers receive salariespaid by the Catalan region, and another 100,000 in the regionrely directly on the Madrid government.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters of a unified Spainmarched on Sunday in one of the biggest shows of force yet bythe so-called silent majority that has watched as regionalpolitical leaders push for Catalan independence.

Waning support?

Two opinion polls also showed support for independence mayhave started to wane. A Sigma Dos survey published in El Mundoshowed 33.5 per cent Catalans were in favour of independencewhile a Metroscopia poll published by El Pais put that number at29 per cent. This compared to 41.1 per cent in July according toan official survey carried out by the Catalan government.

Opponents of secession largely boycotted the Oct. 1referendum, when participants voted overwhelmingly forindependence on turnout of 43 per cent.

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Spain's interior ministry named a new chief for the regionalpolice on Saturday who has insisted that the 17,000 officers ofthe force should remain neutral.

The force has already withdrawn protection for sackedregional government members, who were also left without theirofficial cars. Their portraits were removed from the walls ofpublic buildings.

The government's move to impose direct rule received thebacking of several influential Catalan business lobbies whocalled on firms to stay in the region. The chaos has prompted anexodus of businesses from Catalonia, which contributes about afifth of Spain's economy.