- Opponents of secession Illa new Catalan head of government
The Catalan Parliament in Barcelona has elected socialist Salvador Illa as the new president of the prosperous region in northeastern Spain. The 58-year-old received 68 votes, including 20 from the leftist, moderate separatist ERC party and six from the leftist ecological group Comuns. 66 votes were against, according to parliamentary speaker Josep Rull, as seen on state TV channel RTVE. Spanish media hailed Illa's election as a fresh start for the region, which has been shaken by independence demands for over a decade.
However, Illa's historic election was overshadowed by the return of separatist leader Carles Puigdemont after nearly seven years in exile. The 61-year-old, who has an arrest warrant out for him, appeared in central Barcelona, gave a speech to supporters, and then vanished. Puigdemont apparently evaded police who tried to arrest him, with the help of two officers, one of whom provided a car, according to several media outlets citing police sources. Puigdemont's plans from his underground location were initially unknown.
The election of Salvador Illa as the new president of Catalonia marked a new chapter in the region's politics, but the conflict over independence demands continued to loom large, as evidenced by the return of Carles Puigdemont and his evasion of authorities.
Despite Salvador Illa's victory in the parliamentary election and the praise it received as a fresh start, the conflict between the Spanish government and separatist groups in Catalonia remains unresolved, with Puigdemont's return and ongoing efforts to evade arrest.
