Madrid set to challenge Puigdemont’s comeback

MADRID: Spain said it plans to challenge in court Carles Puigdemont’s attempt to make a comeback as Catalan leader as he is wanted for his role in the region’s failed independence drive.

Mr Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October after the Catalan parliament declared independence, was picked as candidate to lead the region again this week after last month’s elections saw separatist parties win an absolute majority.

But how he can do this remains a mystery as he needs to be physically present in the regional parliament to be sworn in, but faces arrest for his attempt to break from Spain as soon as he comes back to the country.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy plans to “challenge in the Constitutional Court the decision by the [Catalan] parliament’s speaker … in which he proposes lawmaker Carles Puigdemont as candidate for the regional presidency”, Mr Rajoy’s deputy Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters.

She added Mr Rajoy had made a preliminary request to the state council, the government’s advisory body, for a report into whether this was feasible before taking the matter to the court.

Mr Puigdemont has said he could be sworn in remotely from Brussels, a plan Spain’s central government opposes.

He said he would rather return to Spain, but without any risk of arrest.

On Wednesday, he said he should be present at the parliamentary session due next week where lawmakers will officially vote him in.

But Ms Saenz de Santamaria said there was “an arrest warrant against Mr Puigdemont in Spain, so the first thing he should do in Spain is go to Spanish judicial authorities.”

She added this meant he would not be able to be present at the session.

Catalonia’s independence declaration on Oct 27 was short-lived as Mr Rajoy moved to stop the crisis over secession.