ROUGH CUT. NO REPORTER NARRATION.
Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on Thursday (October 26) said he has decided not to call a snap election because he hasn't obtained enough guarantees from the central government in Madrid that the move would stop the imposition of direct rule on Catalonia.
"I was ready to call an election if guarantees were given. There is no guarantee that justifies calling an election today," Puigdemont said.
He also said it was now up to the Catalan parliament to move forward with a mandate to split from Spain following an independence referendum that took place on Oct. 1.