Catalonia's Isolation Grows as Largest Bank Heads for Exit
- CaixaBank decides to relocate legal base south to Valencia
- Crunch comes next week when Catalan parliament is due to meet
Spain Issues an Apology for Catalonia Clashes
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Catalonia’s separatists looked increasingly isolated as the region’s biggest bank announced plans to leave and political pressure rose in both Madrid and Barcelona to bring the standoff to a head.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was resisting calls from his main ally in Madrid to suspend the Catalan regional government, according to a person familiar with their talks. The premier’s office is gathering details on what it would need to execute such a move, another person said. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, meanwhile, was negotiating the text of a declaration of independence with his group’s more radical partner, El Mundo reported.