Spain's top court rules to remove Catalan chief from office

MADRID (AP) — Catalonia's outgoing regional president has called on voters to advance the cause of separatism from Spain after the country's Supreme Court barred him from office for disobeying the country's electoral law.

The top court's ruling earlier on Monday upheld a previous decision to remove Quim Torra as the chief of the northeastern region for refusing to remove a banner that called for the release of imprisoned separatist leaders and was displayed on a public building before the 2019 general election.

The ruling has triggered a new period of political uncertainty in the northeastern region where a demand by some for independence has caused the country's biggest constitutional crisis in decades.

According to the existing regulations, Torra’s deputy Pere Aragonés should take over as president-in-charge until the regional parliament elects a new leader or a new election is held.

Pro-secession activists reacted by calling for protests later Monday in the regional capital, Barcelona.

“No unjust law applied for the purpose of revenge against those who defend human and universal rights will ever be able to defeat democracy," Torra said in a televised address surrounded by members of his Cabinet, including Aragonés.

He also called on Catalans to turn the next regional election into a de-facto plebiscite on independence by voting for separatists and vowed to take his appeal against Monday's ruling to European courts.

“The only way forward is by democratically breaking away," he said.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo told reporters that the deadlock should be resolved with a new election as soon as possible in order to reactivate dialogue between the regional and central authorities.

“The sooner Catalonia is ready to have the ability to work...