Carles Puigdemont Returns to Catalonia After 7 Years in Exile

Years after 2017, the former Catalan leader still faces an arrest warrant in Spain due to his role in the failed attempt to split the region. What's next in this political saga?

Daring Return of Carles Puigdemont

After a seven-year hiatus, Catalan independence leader Carles Puigdemont made a striking comeback to Catalan politics. Greeted with enthusiastic cheers in Barcelona this Thursday, Puigdemont reiterated his commitment to a free Catalonia in a brief speech.

His proclamation, “Long live free Catalonia!”, not only energized his supporters but also reaffirmed his unwavering support for Catalan independence. Puigdemont has spent the past seven years in Belgium and France, evading a Spanish arrest warrant due to his pivotal role in Catalonia’s failed secession attempt in 2017.

A Controversial Election

Bypassing legal hurdles, Puigdemont has repeatedly expressed his intent to run in the election for the new regional executive president. The socialist candidate, Salvador Illa, awaits his inauguration, which could be postponed due to Puigdemont’s potential arrest.

The Threat of Imminent Arrest

Still wanted for his role in the 2017 uprising, Puigdemont faces the risk of arrest at any moment. An amnesty law was negotiated by Pedro Sanchez, but it became highly controversial, and the Supreme Court ultimately agreed to apply it only to specific offenses. Ironically, Puigdemont himself has criticized the “rebellious attitude of some Supreme Court judges.”

The shadow of his arrest looms over the regional president’s investiture process. The General Secretary of Junts per Catalunya, Jordi Turull, has already announced that he would request the suspension of the investiture session if Puigdemont were to be arrested.

Puigdemont’s bold return unveils the complex political situation in Catalonia, where past and present intertwine even behind the scenes of the Parliament.