Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has approved implementing Article 155, which would allow his Madrid government to take back some powers from Catalonia, The Independent reports.
The decision was taken after a special cabinet meeting, three weeks after the semi-autonomous region held a controversial independence referendum.
Mr Rajoy is seeking approval from the Spanish Senate strip powers from Catalonia. He added that he wanted elections to take place in the region and could dissolve the Catalan Parliament within six months.
He said the powers of the Catalan administration will be transferred to the Spanish government, but insisted that he did not want to use the powers to rule Catalonia directly.