Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
A crowd waves Catalan independence flags on Thursday. Photo: Santi Palacios / AP
Catalonia's president, Carles Puigdemont, announced today that he'd let the region's parliament decide on a declaration of independence from Spain, capping off a wild day of policy reversals, per the NYT. Earlier, Puigdemont was expected to announce that he'd call an early election in the region to avoid Spain's threatened takeover of Catalonia's government under the Spanish constitution — but, without any guarantees from the Spanish government and facing rebellion from his separatist allies at home, he instead decided to leave a decision on independence to his parliament.
What's next: The Catalan parliament — with its razor-thin majority of separatist parties — is expected to vote on independence at some time tomorrow just as Madrid takes its own vote on taking over Catalonia's government. After that, the situation heads into entirely uncharted waters.