Election inevitable as Catalonia fails to agree on leader

Spain’s acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, said a new regional election in Catalonia was inevitable. Its pro-independence bloc has fractured over who would be the new government’s leader.

Catalonia has been unable to form a government since an election in September, due to disagreements between the pro-independence parties, who together gained a majority.

If a new candidate is not chosen before January 11, new regional elections will be called, acting regional head, Artur Mas, told a news conference.