Catalan President Carles Puigdemont attends a plenary session at the Catalan regional Parliament in Barcelona, Spain, October 27, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

MADRID (Reuters) - Sacked Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Saturday called for a “democratic opposition” to Madrid’s takeover of the region following its declaration of independence.

“It’s very clear that the best form of defending the gains made up until now is democratic opposition to article 155,” Puigdemont said in a brief statement.