Catalan parliament to decide response to Madrid on Thursday

Catalonia's parliament will gather for a plenary session on Thursday morning to decide the region’s response to Madrid after Spanish authorities vowed to impose direct rule on Catalonia, spokesman for the regional Junts pel Si party said, as cited by Reuters. The party will launch a legal appeal against the application of Article 155, which imposes direct central government rule on the region. Earlier on Monday Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría said the senate is expected to approve the measures against Catalonia on Friday. She added that Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont will lose his powers and no longer receive a salary if the senate approves direct intervention.