Spanish king urges Catalan lawmakers to avoid confrontation in Christmas speech

King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve address Sunday night to call on Catalonia’s newly elected parliament to renounce further moves toward secession from Spain.


“The way forward cannot once again lead to confrontation or exclusion that, as we now know, only generates discord, uncertainty, anguish,” the Spanish monarch said in a televised speech.

The king gave the address four days after regional parliamentary elections resulted in separatist parties being voted back into power.

Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, had dissolved the previous parliament after it voted in October to declare Catalonia an independent republic, but saw his hopes dashed that separatists would not regain a majority of seats.
 [france24.com]
 25/12/17