Spain's state attorney has called for charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds to be brought against members of the Catalan government, formerly led by deposed leader Carles Puigdemont.

José Manuel Maza announced on Monday (30 October) that he would ask for the charges to be brought against senior members of Puigdemont's former administration, including the speaker of the Catalan parliament, Teresa Forcadell.

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If found guilty of the three crimes, Puigdemont could face up to 30 years in prison, the maximum jail sentence allowed under Spanish law.

On Sunday (29 October), the Spanish government said Puigdemont could be jailed within two months over his involvement in the regional parliament's unilateral declaration of independence last week.

Catalan lawmakers' vote to break away from Spain plunged the country into a constitutional crisis on Friday (27 October) and triggered a wave of protests across the nation.

Hours after the Spanish government issued a decree formally dismissing him from his post, Puigdemont urged Catalonians "to defend our conquests" through mass civil disobedience.

"We cannot and do not want to win through force. Not us," he said during a televised address. Puigdemont has fled the country and travelled to Brussels, Belgium, according to Spanish media.

At least one member of the Catalan government defied the decree by turning up to work on Monday. Josep Rull shared a picture on Twitter showing him working at his desk, with the caption: "At work, exercising the responsibilities conferred on me by the people of Catalonia."

Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoído, called on Rull to "be sensible and avoid dragging more public servants to the precipice".

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called for regional elections to be held on 21 December.

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