Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy has outlined hardhitting plans for direct rule in Catalonia that will see the troubled region’s separatist leaders removed from office, including premier Carles Puigdemont, and the local parliament stripped of much of its power.

In a significant upping of the stakes in his bid to rein in the region’s pro-independence rulers, Mr Rajoy has said that although the Catalan parliament will not be dissolved immediately, its functions will be limited to “avoid measures contrary to the Constitution.”

Additionally, although the main body of the region’s administration would continue as normal,the roles of the Catalan Ministers who had been dismissed would be handled by ministries and officials from Madrid.

Mr Rajoy also confirmed that regional elections would be called, within a period of six months, or “as soon as institutional normality is restored”.

All of these measures are to be carried out under the unprecedented auspices of Article 155 of the Constitution, which allows Madrid to impose direct rule, and are pending a vote from the Senate, the upper house of Spain’s parliament.

Mr Rajoy’s ruling Partido Popular (PP) party has a majority in the Senate, and it would therefore be highly unlikely they are blocked.

Mr Rajoy was notably scant on details and long on justification for direct rule in his speech, essentially limiting his much-anticipated package of specific measures to a broad-brushed description of the whys and wherefores for his government’s substitution of the nationalist ministers.

He accused the separatists of “liquidating the Spanish Constitution” and failing to respect local laws when they rushed legislation permitting a referendum on independence through the Catalan parliament in early September.

“We are not ending Catalan autonomy, but we are relieving of their duties those who have acted outside the law,” Mr Rajoy said.

Catalonia: Spanish Prime Minister approves measures to strip region's autonomous powers

Mr Rajoy said he had been forced to take these measures, because “no government of any democratic country can accept that the law be violated, ignored and changed.”

He explained their aim is to restore “legality, normality and social goodwill” to Catalonia, and he appealed to companies to stop leaving the region. Well over 1,000 businesses have moved their legal headquarters out of Catalonia in the last month.

It later emerged the government will be able to substitute members of the local Mossos d’Esquadra police force - strongly criticised outside Catalonia for their alleged lack of cooperation in stopping the banned October 1st referendum - with officers from the Guardia Civil or National Police. It is also thought likely that regional state media, much criticised outside Catalonia for its pro-separatist stance, will be overseen by Madrid.

Although Mr Rajoy underlined he had the support of both the Socialist Party and Ciudadanos, Spain’s fourth largest political grouping, the measures were described as “authoritarian and a botched job.” by the left-wing Podemos coalition.

Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Demonstrators block a Guardia Civil vehicle as they try to leave the Department of External Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency of the Catalan Government office in Barcelona AP/Emilio Morenatti Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Demonstrators react as they try to stop the car carrying Xavier Puig, a senior at the Department of External Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency of the Catalan Government office, after he was arrested by Guardia Civil officers in Barcelona AP/Emilio Morenatti Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures A demonstrator reacts as he tries with others to stop the car carrying Xavier Puig, a senior at the Department of External Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency of the Catalan Government office, after he was arrested by Guardia Civil officers in Barcelona AP/Emilio Morenatti Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Spokeswoman of the Catalan pro-independence anticapitalist party "Candidatura d'Unitat Popular - CUP" (Popular Unity Candidacy), Ana Gabriel, talks to the media in Barcelona Josep Lago/AFP Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures Republican Left of Catalonia party's (ERC) Member of Parliament Joan Tarda (C) attends a demonstration outside the regional Economy Ministry in Catalonia during a police search for documents connected with the organisation of the Catalan independence referendum, in Barcelona EPA/Alejandro Garcia Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures A man holds pro-referendum poster next to a Spanish Civil Guard who stands in front of the Economy headquarters of Catalonia's regional government in Barcelona. The operation comes amid mounting tensions as Catalan leaders press ahead with preparations for an independence referendum on October 1 despite Madrid's ban and a court ruling deeming it illegal Josep Lago/AFP Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures People hold placards reading "Democracy" as they protest in front of the Economy headquarters of Catalonia's regional government in Barcelona AFP Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures A crowd of protesters gather outside the Catalan region's economy ministry after junior economy minister Josep Maria Jove was arrested by Spanish police during a raid on several government offices, in Barcelona Reuters/Albert Gea Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures People holding 'Esteladas' (Catalan pro-independence flags) attend a protest near the Economy headquarters of Catalonia's regional government Lluis Gene/AFP Catalonia referendum protests – in pictures People demonstrate on a Spanish Civil Guard Police car outside the Catalan Vice-President and Economy office as police officers holds a searching operation inside David Ramos/Getty Images

The Nationalist movement was, predictably, in uproar at their imminent loss of regional power and a major demonstration is planned this evening in Barcelona “in defence of rights and freedoms.” All of the top separatist leaders, as well as Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, viewed as a non-aligned moderate, will attend.

Mr Puigdemont is expected to make a formal response to the government’s measures in a speech later this evening. Spain’s attorney general also warned today, though, that any attempt by the regional premier to declare Catalan independence would be treated as “rebellion”, which carries a prison sentence of up to 30 years.