Spain will seek to suspend Catalonia's autonomy unless the region's leader abandons his push for independence, Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said Wednesday, 24 hours before Madrid's deadline.

If separatist leader Carles Puigdemont does not provide a satisfactory response Thursday, "Mr Puigdemont will provoke the application of article 155 of the constitution," Saenz de Santamaria told parliament.