Catalan government on hold as president studies legal action against Madrid

President Quim Torra has postponed the forming of a new executive in Catalonia in order to seek legal advice against the Spanish government, which recently blocked the reinstatement of ministers in jail and abroad.

Catalonia was expected to have formed a new government on Wednesday—almost seven months after Spain dismissed the previous cabinet following a declaration of independence. In the first major political clash since Quim Torra was sworn in as Catalan president a week ago, the Spanish government blocked the appointment of his nominated ministers. The reason: four of them were dismissed last October, and are currently behind bars or seeking refuge in other European countries.