Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is set to call a snap regional election nike air max 270 flyknit scontate , political allies said, a move that could help break a one-month deadlock between the Madrid government and separatists seeking a split from Spain.
The uncertainty remained high however as Puigdemont who had announced he would deliver an address at 1:30 pm nike air max 270 donne scontate , first delayed it by one hour and then cancelled it, triggering speculation he could still change his mind.
Several members of his pro-independence coalition said he would dissolve the regional parliament and call the vote. The regional broadcaster said he would deliver a speech in the assembly at 5 pm nike air max 270 uomo scontate , as had initially been planned.
Barcelona-based La Vanguardia said he would call the vote for December 20 and was making the decision in a bid to persuade the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy not to enforce direct rule in the region, which he might do as soon as Friday.
The Catalan secessionist drive is Spain's worst political crisis since the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco ended in 1975. It has fractured society and hundreds of companies have left the region.
It is also the most serious challenge to the integrity of a Western European country since an independence referendum in Scotland in 2014 nike air max 270 nere scontate , when voters in the end chose to stay with of the United Kingdom.
European leaders fear it could spur secessionist ambitions in other parts of the continent.
But cracks appeared late on Wednesday in the independence coalition as some members backed an election while others said there was no alternative to independence.
Within minutes of Thursday's developments, several pro-secession lawmakers and mayors announced they were stepping down.
""I don't share the decision to call an election. I am resigning as a lawmaker and a member of PdeCat [Puigdemont's Catalan Democratic Party] www.airmax270scontate.it ,"" said Jordi Cuminal on Twitter.
Several hundred people also took to the streets and gathered on Placa Sant Jaume, in front of the Catalan government's headquarters in central Barcelona.
Far-left party CUP nike air max 270 scontate italia , a key support for Puigdemont's minority government, said it would oppose a vote.