A far-left Catalan party that is a key ally to the government of Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont on Tuesday lamented a "missed" opportunity to declare outright independence, after he stepped back from announcing an immediate split from Spain.

"We believed that today was the day to solemnly declare a Catalan republic, and we probably missed an opportunity," Anna Gabriel, a lawmaker for the CUP party, told regional parliament.

source: AFP