Latest: Confusion as Catalan leader cancels televised address
The president of Catalonia arranged and then hastily cancelled an official address today amid speculation that he might back off a full independence bid by calling a snap election.
Catalonia's parliament is expected later to debate how to respond to plans by Spanish authorities to take direct control of the prosperous north-eastern region, home to 7.5 million people.
Two parliamentary officials told the Associated Press that Mr Puigdemont had offered through mediators to call the snap election if the central government dropped the takeover bid, but Mr Rajoy's ruling Popular Party refused.
Popular Party senator Javier Arenas said a call for new regional elections would not be enough to stop the Senate. The Spanish government said it would not comment until Mr Puigdemont makes his stance clear.
The leading opposition Socialist party says the government must stop the intervention process if Catalonia calls elections within a constitutional framework.
Mr Puigdemont risks being charged with rebellion, something that could land him in jail.
The political confusion came as thousands of university and high school students took to the streets to protest against Madrid's takeover plans.
The protesters, many draped in the red and yellow Catalan flag and holding banners calling for independence, marched through central Barcelona, blocking several nearby streets as they headed to the government palace where Mr Puigdemont was expected to speak.
The atmosphere was festive as they marched past the Barcelona headquarters of Spain's national police shouting "out with the occupation forces", a slogan that has become ubiquitous in protests since police trying to halt the independence referendum clashed violently with voters.
Catalonia's government has called off an official televised address by regional leader Carles Puigdemont in Barcelona.
Local media had reported that Mr Puigdemont was expected to use the address to call a snap election, but it was initially delayed for one hour and then cancelled.
Mr Puigdemont's office offered no explanation for the cancellation. He is still scheduled to address the regional parliament in a plenary session later.
The parliament meeting in Barcelona is for Catalan legislators to debate how to respond to plans by the national government to direct control of the region.
The Spanish Senate is holding a separate session in Madrid to debate the extraordinary measures to halt the separatists' push for independence.
Thousands of protesters, mainly university and high school students, gathered in central Barcelona to protest against the plans by Madrid to assume control of some of the Catalonia region's affairs.
More than 4,000 protesters, many draped in the red and yellow Catalan flag, gathered outside the university building, blocking several nearby streets.
Catalonia's leader is expected to dissolve the regional parliament and call a regional election.
Carles Puigdemont had earlier appealed to Spain's national Senate, asking senators to reject extraordinary measures proposed by the Spanish government to take direct control of the region.
Mr Puigdemont is expected to make a televised address today.
In an eight-page document submitted to the Senate today, Mr Puigdemont said Madrid is tackling the crisis by "trying to create an even more extraordinary serious situation by taking away the political autonomy of Catalonia".
The Senate is expected tomorrow to approve the Catalan takeover measure, which includes sacking the region's elected government and curtailing powers of the regional parliament, as well as control over police, finances and public media.
Prime minister Mariano Rajoy says he wants to use the extraordinary powers to replace legislators in the regional parliament by calling early elections as soon as normality is regained in the region.
Madrid had offered to halt the extraordinary measures if a new election was called in Catalonia, but recently backtracked on that.
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