Catalan president Quim Torra called on Saturday for talks with newly-elected Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He made the call as his regional executive was sworn in at an emotional ceremony full of pro-independence symbolism. The swearing-in will automatically bring an end to Madrids direct rule over the wealthy, northeastern region of Catalonia, imposed in October after a failed bid to break away from Spain. "Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, lets talk, lets address this issue, lets take risks, you and us," Torra said, just minutes after Sanchez himself was sworn in in Madrid. "We need to sit down at the same table and negotiate, government to government," Torra said. "This situation were going through cannot go on for even one more day." Sanchez takes office after ousting veteran conservative leader Mariano Rajoy from power in a no-confidence vote on Friday. Sanchez, a 46-year-old economist who as opposition leader was sharply critical of Catalonias secession bid, has promised to try to "build bridges" with the regions new government which is still determined to work towards independence. Sanchez, who secured the backing of an unlikely alliance of mainstream Socialists, hard-leftists and Catalan and Basque nationalists to bring down Rajoy, has the slimmest parliamentary majority since the birth of Spanish democracy in 1975. His Socialists hold just 84 seats in the 350-member assembly, which could make any bold move on the economic or political front - including on Catalonia - difficult. He has already said he would stick to the 2018 budget crafted by Rajoy’s conservatives. Torras call for talks came as his handpicked 13 councilors took oath in the regional presidency in Barcelona -- some of them wearing yellow, the color that has come to symbolize the separatist cause. "Do you promise to faithfully fulfil the duties of the post youre taking on at the service of Catalonia in accordance with the law and with loyalty to Catalonias regional president?", Torra asked each one. "Yes, I promise," they responded to strong applause. An empty chair with a yellow ribbon stood in the chamber to represent Catalan separatists who are in jail over their role in last autumns independence push and those, like ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who fled abroad. The swearing-in ends months of political limbo in the northeastern region after the independence bid last October caused Spains biggest political crisis in decades. Under the terms of emergency legislation brought in to take over the Catalan administration, Madrid must lift direct rule once a Catalan government is fully formed and cabinet members are sworn in. Rajoy imposed Madrid’s direct rule on Catalonia after nationalists organized an independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts. Rajoy then organized snap elections in Catalonia in December, hoping opponents of independence would win, but that backfired when voters gave separatists a majority. The election result was a severe blow to the Spanish government. It had called the polls in the hope of heading off the secessionist push in the region, which is home to around 7.5 million people and is about the size of Belgium.