Tens of thousands of people have taken part in a rally in Madrid called by the opposition to protest against new autonomy proposals for the Catalonia region.

The conservative Peoples' Party believe regional demands for more power are putting the 1978 constitution at risk.

The demonstration was led by PP leader Mariano Rajoy, who escaped serious injury in a helicopter crash on Thursday.

His colleague and former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar was among the crowd. Rajoy told the gathering: "We are not a nation of nations. We are a nation of one people, we are all the same, free and equal citizens.”

Catolonia's parliament has approved a statute that would give the region the right to collect its own taxes. It would also replace Madrid's constitutional court with a Catalonian high court as its highest judicial authority. The national parliament is studying the statute, parts of which have been accepted by the Socialist government.

PHOTO CAPTION

Spanish main opposition leader Mariano Rajoy (L) embraces Spain's former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar during a gathering in downtown Madrid December 3, 2005. (REUTERS)

Source: Euro News