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The French president reportedly told Mr Rajoy France stands behind Madrid following riots in Catalonia after the Spanish government deemed the region's independence referendum illegal.

The insider said: “The president underlined his support for Spain’s constitutional unity."

But the source did not comment on whether Mr Macron had explicitly condemned the excessive use of force by Spanish police against people attempting to vote in Catalonia’s independence referendum over the weekend.

More than 800 people were injured on Sunday as riot police wielded batons and fired bullets at crowds attempting to cast their ballot in Catalonia’s banned referendum.