The Spanish government has approved unprecedented measures to take direct control of the region of Catalonia.

The decision was taken after a special cabinet meeting, three weeks after the semi-autonomous region held an independence referendum, assessed as ‘illegal’ by Madrid.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy chaired a meeting at the Moncloa palace on 21 October and said that Catalan vote was “completely undemocratic”.

Rajoy is seeking approval from the Spanish Senate strip powers from Catalonia. He also added he wanted elections to take place in the region and could dissolve the Catalan Parliament within six months.