Spain: Madrid and Catalonia Play a Waiting Game

In their dispute over Catalonia's push to secede, both Madrid and Barcelona are hoping the other will make the first move. Once members of Spain's ruling Popular Party and its opposition Socialist Party finish drafting a series of measures, the country's Cabinet will meet on Oct. 21 to officially invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, which allows the central government to take control of a region's -- in this case, Catalonia's -- institutions and resources. But Madrid, fearing local repercussions, could be slow to actually implement the measures. Meanwhile, the Catalan government is engaged in intense internal debates about what it should do next, with some within the group demanding an immediate declaration of independence and others suggesting a passive, wait-and-see approach....