Fugitive Catalan Ex-leader Puigdemont Back In Spain Despite Arrest Warrant

Barcelona, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2024) Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia who fled Spain over his role in a failed 2017 independence bid for the wealthy region, returned to Spain on Thursday after seven years on the run despite a pending arrest warrant.

Puigdemont shouted "Long live a free Catalonia!" as he climbed onto a stage in Barcelona to address thousands gathered near the Catalan regional parliament which is set to elect a new leader later in the day.

"I have come here to remind you that we are still here," he added to applause.

Many in the crowd waved red, yellow and blue Catalan independence flags and chanted slogans demanding Catalonia's secession from Spain.

"He is a very noble person, the only one who believes in independence and has not stopped believing," said Nuria Pujol, a woman in her fifties who came to Barcelona from the Alt Penedes region in the interior of Catalonia to see Puigdemont.

After his brief address, Puigdemont headed to the regional parliament for the investiture vote where it is expected that police will detain him before he can enter.

If that happens the vote will likely be suspended.

After months of negotiations following an inconclusive May regional election, the leader of the local branch of Spain's ruling Socialists -- Salvador Illa, who is close to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez -- is poised to become Catalonia's new leader.

The Socialists won the most seats in the northeastern region but failed to get a majority.

Illa then secured the support of a tiny far-left party and leftist Catalan separatist party ERC, giving him the needed 68 votes to be elected in Catalonia's 135-seat parliament as leader of the regional government.

The investiture debate is set to begin in the Catalan parliament at 10:00 am (0800 GMT).

The secretary general of Puigdemont's hardline separatist party JxCAT has said he would call for the vote to be suspended if the former Catalan leader is arrested.

If a new Catalan regional government is not formed by August 26, fresh elections will be held in October.