- Separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who fled into exile in 2017, wants to run as the top candidate of his party Junts per Catalunya (Junts) in the early regional elections in Catalonia on May 12th.
- He faces arrest in Spain for his role in Catalonia’s illegal 2017 independence referendum and attempted secession from Spain.
- An amnesty agreed with Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez would only come into force after the elections.
61-year-old Carles Puigdemont announced his candidacy to party members in the small town of Elne in southern France. “I have decided to run for the Catalan Parliament in the next election,” he said to great applause from his supporters. “The most important goal we have set ourselves is to make the independence process a success.”
Legend:
The former head of government of the Catalan autonomous government, Carles Puigdemont, has been a member of the European Parliament since 2019 (December 2023).
EPA / RONALD WITTEK
However, he would face arrest in Spain for his role in the illegal referendum for Catalan independence in 2017 and the attempted secession from Spain.
However, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had agreed to an amnesty with Puigdemont in order, among other things, to secure re-election in autumn 2023 with the votes of his Junts per Catalunya (Junts) party. Puigdemont’s lawyer Gonzalo Boye had therefore already announced that his client would return to Spain. Puigdemont will also accept that he will be arrested when entering Spain.
Concern about Puigdemont winning the election
Due to parliamentary deliberations, the amnesty could only come into force after the regional elections at the earliest. It was surprisingly preferred by regional government leader Pere Aragonès from the left-wing separatist party ERC after his budget failed in the Catalan parliament.
In Spain, there remain concerns that Puigdemont could win the election in Catalonia and once again break away from the economically strong region. In addition, the Spanish minority government of Sánchez is dependent on the votes of the Catalan separatists, who can thus give a lot of emphasis to their demands.
Election outcome open
According to a survey by the opinion research institute Sociométrica, the outcome of the elections in Catalonia is difficult to predict. The Socialists could become the strongest party again, but miss out on an absolute majority again. Puigdemont’s Junts party and the even more left-wing ruling and also separatist ERC party could perform roughly equally well.
Catalonia was plunged into chaos after the independence referendum and a decision to secede from Spain in 2017. Puigdemont fled abroad with other members of the government. Several of the comrades-in-arms who remained in the country were later sentenced to prison terms of up to 13 years, but have since been pardoned.
Catalonia is still suffering from the consequences of the chaotic separation attempt – including political instability as well as corporate and capital flight. The conservative opposition is storming against the amnesty law, but can only delay it in parliament, not prevent it.