Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is urging Catalans to oust separatists from their regional parliament in an early election he has called for 21 December.

Speaking at a campaign event in Barcelona on Sunday, Mr Rajoy said that “we must reclaim Catalonia from the havoc of separatism”, adding: “With democracy, we want to reclaim Catalonia for everyone.”

He called on the participation of the “silent majority” to “convert their voice into a vote”.

Mr Rajoy has told members of his conservative Popular Party that “we want a massive turnout to open up a new period of normalcy”.

The visit to Catalonia’s main city was the Prime Minister’s first to the northeastern region since he used extraordinary powers to stifle its secession push. After Catalonia’s Parliament voted on 27 October in favour of a declaration of independence, Mr Rajoy responded by firing its government, dissolving its parliament and calling the early election.

Spain’s constitution says the nation is “indivisible”.

“It’s urgent to return a sense of normality to Catalonia and do so as soon as possible to lower the social and economic tensions,” Mr Rajoy said Sunday. “The threat of the separatists is destructive, sad and agonising. Secessionism has created insecurity and uncertainty.”

Polls show a tight race ahead in Catalonia between separatists and those who want the region to remain a part of Spain. In Brussels on Sunday, those favouring independence for Catalonia rallied near the European Union quarter.

Mr Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party has won three national elections in Spain since 2011, but it won less than 10 per cent of the vote in Catalonia’s regional election in 2015. It continues to poll behind several other parties in the region, including the pro-business Citizens and the Socialists, which are both against secession.

Mr Rajoy defended his decision to temporarily take over running the region under the constitution, which allows central authorities to intervene in regions whose officials have gone outside the law. Catalonia’s separatists, and even some moderates, have criticised the measures as heavy-handed.

Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Show all 17 1 /17 Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man faces off Spanish Civil Guards outside a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police evict a young woman during clashes between people gathered outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish Civil Guard officers break through a door at a polling station in Sant Julia de Ramis Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Spanish National Police clash with pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona on Sunday AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Crowds raise their arms up as police move in on members of the public gathered outside to prevent them from voting in the referendum at a polling station where the President Carles Puigdemunt will vote later today Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters People confront Spanish Civil Guard officers outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Three man hold each other as they try to block a Spanish police van from approaching a polling station AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A woman shows a ballot to a Spanish Civil Guard officer outside a polling station Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man wearing a shirt with an Estelada (Catalan separatist flag) and holding carnations faces off with a Spanish Civil Guard officer Reuters Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Police try to control the area as people attempt to cast their ballot at a polling station in Barcelona Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A man is grabbed by officers as police move in on the crowds Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Two women argue with a Spanish National policeman during clashes between Catalan pro-independence people and police forces at the Sant Julia de Ramis sports centre in Girona EPA Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Sant Julia De Ramis in Spain Getty Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Confrontation outside a polling station in Barcelona, where police have tried to stop people voting AFP/Getty Images Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters A Spanish National Police officer aims a rubber-bullet rifle at pro-referendum supporters in Barcelona AP Catalonia independence referendum: Riot police clash with voters Riot police clashed with voters as polls opened in Barcelona Sky News

“Exceptional measures can only be taken when there is no other option, and we adopted them to stop the increasing attacks to peaceful coexistence” in Catalonia, Mr Rajoy said. “For centuries, centuries, Catalonia and Spain have built a country that is multicultural and diverse, and the separatists won’t be allowed to break the ties that bind us.”

Apart from the Catalonia government takeover, a judge has jailed 10 separatist leaders while investigating their roles in promoting secession. Catalonia’s deposed president and four former members of his cabinet have fled to Brussels where they will fight extradition.

Mr Rajoy linked the continued economic recovery of Spain, and especially Catalonia, to the removal of pro-independence parties from power.

More than 2,000 companies have relocated their headquarters from Catalonia due to fears of being cast out of the European Union’s common market in the case of secession. Employment numbers also showed that Catalonia fell behind other parts of Spain in October.

“The instability is slowing Catalonia’s capacity to create jobs,” Mr Rajoy said. “But I say that the recovery of legality and normalcy will help reactivate the economy.”