- Separatist Puigdemont at risk of arrest in Spain
Despite an arrest warrant in Spain, Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont has reportedly returned home after nearly seven years in exile. Details of his return were not immediately known. He wrote on the platform X that it is his democratic right as an elected member of the Catalan regional parliament in Barcelona to participate in the planned election of a new president on Thursday. For the first time in decades, a socialist, Salvador Illa, who clearly rejects Catalan independence, is running.
However, Puigdemont, who lived in Belgium for a long time, may not get far in Spain as the local police are reportedly waiting for him, aiming to prevent him from entering the parliamentary session hall and disrupting or delaying Illa's election. Puigdemont's party, Junts, called for an "institutional welcome" for the "130th President of Catalonia" near the parliament building on Thursday morning. The relevant parliamentary commission set the start of the debate on Illa's candidacy for 10:00 AM, with the vote expected to take place later in the day.
Illa's party emerged as the strongest force in the early election in May but needs the support of the left-wing separatist ERC party, which was secured through concessions on financial issues and the promotion of the Catalan language. If a new government is not formed by August 25, new elections will have to be held.
Puigdemont faces the threat of arrest despite an amnesty law due to the controversial interpretation of the law by the judiciary. The law excludes cases of personal enrichment from amnesty. Although Puigdemont is not accused of pocketing public funds, the judiciary is investigating him for personal enrichment. They argue that using public funds for his illegal political goals in the 2017 referendum is equivalent to personal enrichment.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, leader of the minority socialist government, promised the "Catalanists" amnesty to secure their support for his re-election in November. If the Junts MPs withdraw their cooperation, Sánchez could face a problem.
The Commission has not yet made a decision on Puigdemont's potential immunity as an MEP, which could impact his situation in Spain. Despite the Commission's inaction, the local police in Spain are still prepared to prevent Puigdemont from entering the parliamentary session hall.
