The Spanish government has taken its first steps to impose direct rule on Catalonia, firing its police chief and nominating the deputy prime minister to take control of the region in an unprecedented effort to quash its attempts at secession.
The Spanish Senate was due to vote on the Madrid government's unprecedented plans to seize control of the autonomous region of Catalonia on Friday, as the crisis over the province's bid for independence comes to a head.
The Catalan Parliament voted to declare independence from Spain, prompting the Spanish Senate to grant Madrid powers to seize control of the region. Here's how the crisis unfolded.
The Catalan leader's high-wire bid for independence from Spain faltered on Thursday when he backed away from a plan to call new elections amid disagreement within his own party.
