Catalan crisis: Everything you need to know

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The Spanish government on Saturday stripped Catalonia of its autonomy and has officially taken charge of its government. The control of the region has been handed to Spain’s deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, an official state bulletin said.

The regional leader Carles Puigdemont as well as all regional government members have been dismissed.

On the same day Madrid sacked Catalonia's highest-ranking policeman, Josep Lluis Trapero, as Spain is balanced on a knife edge in its worst political crisis in decades. 

The upper house of Spain's parliament, the Senate, on Friday authorized the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to rule Catalonia directly from Madrid, triggering Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution minutes after the restive region declared independence. It allows Madrid to dissolve the Catalan regional government, take control of ministries and call fresh elections. 

Spain is in its worst political crisis in decades after a "Yes" vote in a banned October 1 referendum on independence in Catalonia. The region, one of the 17 in the country, enjoys a high level of autonomy.  

Earlier on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asked the Senate, where his party holds a majority, to "proceed to the dismissal of the president of the Catalan government, his vice-president and all regional ministers." Senators gave Rajoy a standing ovation.

Crowds gathered in Barcelona on Thursday amid speculation that Catalonian leader Carles Puigdemont was set to declare independence or call a snap election in a bid to avoid rule from Madrid – but he canceled a planned address and called on the region’s parliament to decide the way forward.

Puigdemont said he had decided not to call an election because he had not obtained guarantees from the central government that the move would stop the imposition of direct rule in Catalonia.

"I was ready to call an election if guarantees were given. There is no guarantee that justifies calling an election today," Puigdemont said.

How did it get here? 

On October 1, Catalonia held an independence referendum that the Spanish government declared was illegal. The next day, Puigdemont said 90 percent of voters opted for independence on a 43 percent turnout. 

On October 5, the Spanish Constitutional Court suspended a Catalan parliament session, which could have been used to officially declare independence. On October 10, Puigdemont said the region had won the right to independence but didn't make a formal declaration. 

Rajoy called on Puigdemont to clarify his intentions, but the Catalan leader missed two deadlines to state whether he would pursue independence for Catalonia.

It prompted Madrid to turn to the never-before-used Article 155 of the constitution, designed to rein in rebel regions.

Article 155 gives the government ill-defined and untested powers to act when the country's "general interests" come under threat.

The Catalan parliament called the move a "de facto coup d'état." Puigdemont said Madrid failed to respect the rule of law, and called for a regional parliament meeting. 

With Article 155 triggered, measures imposed by the Spanish government will come into effect on Saturday, and remain in place for up to six months – until elections are called and a new Catalan parliament sworn in.

What happened outside the government?

Catalonia is one of 17 regions, with varying degrees of autonomy, that make up Spain. 

The region accounts for 16 percent of Spain's population and 20 percent of its economic output. The 7.5 million people are fiercely protective of its language and culture and have long struggled for autonomy, which was restored after the repressive 1939-1975 rule of Francisco Franco. 

Catalans, however, are deeply divided on independence from Spain.

About 43 percent of eligible voters – over two million people – voted in the ballot on October 1. But the Catalan government said many voters were stopped by riot police. Clashes were filmed, and officials said 893 people needed medical attention after being dragged from polling stations.

On October 3, 40 unions, political and social groups as well as 700,000 people angered by the riot police's actions took to the streets in Barcelona. Public transport and markets were disrupted. 

Pro-unity rallies were seen across Spain, including in Barcelona, in the following weeks. 

When the country was celebrating its National Day on October 12, massive crowds rallied in Barcelona calling for unity.