REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BARCELONA/MADRID -- Catalonia's secessionist leader on Monday faced increased pressure to abandon plans to declare the region independent from Spain, with France and Germany expressing support for the country's unity.

The Madrid government, grappling with Spain's biggest political crisis since an attempted military coup in 1981, made it clear on Monday it would respond immediately to any such unilateral declaration.

A week on from a referendum on independence which the government did its utmost to thwart, more signs were emerging that the fraught situation was also taking its toll on the business climate of Spain's wealthiest region.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is due to address the regional parliament on Tuesday afternoon and the Madrid government is worried it will vote for a unilateral declaration of independence.