Mariano Rajoy chooses his words carefully. He's the prime minister who refused to use the term "bailout," insisting instead that the financial rescue Spain received in 2012 was "a loan with very favorable terms." On Oct. 21, responding to the crisis over Catalonia's bid for independence, Rajoy invoked Article 155, a provision of the Spanish constitution never used before that allows Madrid to strip regional governments of their autonomy in times of crisis. He maintained that he was not suspending Catalan autonomy, even as he proposed removing from office the entire Catalan executive body, transferring their duties to corresponding Spanish ministries, and calling-new elections in the region within six months. His decision was greeted by many Spaniards as a welcome return to the rule of law and by many Catalans as nothing short of a coup d'etat.
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