Catalan leader Puigdemont says 'guarantees' not in place to call elections

Puigdemont had considered calling elections in an effort to ease separatist crisis as Madrid prepares to seize control of region

Catalonia's leader Carles Puigdemont on Thursday said he had considered calling elections in an effort to ease the separatist crisis as Madrid prepares to seize control of the region, but decided there were no "guarantees" to do so.

In a televised statement, he said it was now "up to the (regional) parliament," which is expected to meet later today, to decide on how to respond to the central government's planned takeover of Catalan political powers following an outlawed independence referendum.