Puigdemont drops bid to reclaim Catalan presidency

CARLES PUIGDEMONT, Catalonia’s deposed leader, last night said he had abandoned his bid to be reappointed regional president in the hope of unblocking a political impasse between separatist parties.

“I will not put myself forward as candidate to be appointed regional president,” Mr Puigdemont, who is in self-exile in Belgium and faces arrest in Spain for his role in the failed secession bid, said in a video posted on social media. He is expected to propose Jordi Sànchez, the pro-independence campaigner currently held on remand in Madrid on charges of sedition, as an alternative candidate.

Catalonia has been ruled directly from Madrid for the past four months since Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, invoked constitutional powers to take over the region after it declared independence in October.

Earlier yesterday, the Catalan parliament had voted to support Mr Puigdemont and reaffirm the validity of the banned Oct 1 referendum on independence in a tense first session of parliament since elections in December. The proposal, put forward by Junts per Catalunya, Mr Puigdemont’s party, recognised his legitimacy as leader of Catalonia while stressing the importance of forming an effective government in the region.

“The honourable President Puigdemont has won enough support at the ballot box to be allowed to be voted in as president,” said Quim Torra, a Junts per Catalunya politician.

However, the proposal gave no clue as to how the region could move forward from a political impasse that has prevented the naming of a leader since December’s regional election returned a majority for parties favouring a split from Spain.

“This session has served to show there is no road map or design for the future for the Catalan people,” said Inés Arrimadas, leader of the Ciudadanos party. Her party won the popular vote in December’s election, but not enough seats to form a government.

Mr Puigdemont fled to Brussels after declaring independence for Catalonia. He faces charges of sedition and rebellion in Spain and is likely to be arrested if he returns. Mr Rajoy said yesterday that a Catalan leader “must be chosen now who is in Spain, who is not in jail and who has no problems with the law”.