Updated October 28, 2017 01:24:57

Photo: Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for calm immediately after the declaration. (AP: Jean-Francois Badias)

The upper house of Spain's parliament has authorised the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to rule Catalonia directly from Madrid, minutes after the restive region declared independence from Spain.

Mr Rajoy is now expected to convene his cabinet to adopt the first measures to govern Catalonia.

This could include firing the Barcelona government and assuming direct supervision of Catalan police forces.

Catalonia's regional parliament had only minutes earlier voted in favour of declaring independence from Spain.

The independence motion was passed in the 135-strong assembly with 70 votes in favour, 10 against and 2 blank ballots, the assembly's speaker said.

Opposition lawmakers had walked out of the chamber ahead of the vote in protest. Secessionists hold a slim majority in the parliament.

The vote was a secret ballot and politicians were called up one by one to place their paper vote in a transparent ballot box.

The disputed vote is likely to be declared illegal by Spain's constitutional court.

Mr Rajoy called for calm in a tweet posted minutes after the declaration.

"I ask for calm from all Spaniards. The rule of law will restore legality in Catalonia," Mr Rajoy wrote.

Thousands of people who gathered outside Catalonia's parliament building in support of the region's independence bid cheered and danced after the announcement.

The crowds had watched the voting process and the counting live on big screens.

Regional President Carles Puigdemont and Vice President Oriol Junqueras exchanged congratulatory embraces and handshakes after the vote.

More to come.

AP

Topics: world-politics, spain

First posted October 28, 2017 00:34:20