Calls have mounted for a Spanish "national unity" coalition after Catalonia's new president declared "pre-independence".

Spain's main unionist political parties have been in deadlock ever since an inconclusive general election before Christmas.

But the surprise election of a new and staunchly pro-independence president in Catalonia - Carles Puigdemont - has focussed minds in Madrid.

The newspaper La Razon - often a voice of rightist unionism in Spain - splashed an editorial demanding a grand coalition on its front page on Monday.

"Spain now needs a stable government to guarantee unity," the paper declared.

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In what nationalists interpreted as a snub Spain's King Filipe VI refused to grant an audience to the speaker of the Catalan parliament as she sought fo formally inform him of Mr Puigdemont's election.

Unionists had watched with glee as Catalan "independentistes" openly warred in recent months with former president Artur Mas, a centrist, unable to command support of left-wing separatists.

But Mr Puigdemont's investiture on Sunday - just a day before a deadline that would have meant new elections in Catalonia - changed the entire dynamic.

Mr Puigdemont - a journalist seen as being more of a true believer in independence than its technocrat "instrumentalist" predecessor - was able to secure the presidency thanks to the support of eight leftist deputies from the CUP party.

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Mr Puigdemont, pictured above, declared that he would lead his country in an "exceptional period between post-autonomy and pre-independence".

And he recommitted himself to a mandate, from September's Catalan general elections, for a "road map" to independence that puts his government on a direct clash with Madrid.

Spain does not recognise Catalonia's right to secede. This view is held by three parties capable of forming a grand coalition.

They include the right-wing Partido Popular of caretaker Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy; the central-left Socialists; and Ciudadanos, the relatively new anti-establishment and anti-independence party that commentators struggle to place on traditional left-right axes.

The Herald: epa05079278 Spanish acting Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy (L), shakes hands with the Secretary-General of oppositor Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Pedro Sanchez, shortly before their first meeting held to analyse the politic scenario left by 20 D

Socialist leaders were meeting in Madrid on Monday. Mr Rajoy, pictured above with Socialist leader Pedro , assured of their support on the constitution, declared he would "not let anything happen contrary to the law". This repeats a familiar legalistic response to Catalan nationalists.

Polls, meanwhile, continue to show Catalonia as divided on independence as Scotland.

But a clear majority of Catalans insist they have a "right to decide" their future in a Scottish-style referendum.

One Spain-wide party, the anti-politics group Podemos, has said it would allow a referendum.

Mr Puigdemont, meanwhile, stressed he was Catalonia's 130th president in a clear reference to his country's historic identity.

Unionist critics have suggested that Mr Puigdemont is just "more of the same". He comes from the same regionalist party as Mr Mas but from a far more grassroots and fundamentally pro-independence background.

Pro-independence daily Ara nevertheless was one of several using a picture that stressed continuity, showing Mr Mas hugging Mr Puigdemont. "The president of 27-S", the paper declared, referring to September 27 the date of the last Catalan parliamentary elections. That vote was regarded by some - but not Madrid - as a proxy independence referendum.

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