The president of the Catalan parliament proposes Puigdemont as president of the region

The president of the Parliament of Catalonia has proposed Carles Puigdemont as regional president again, while the general prosecutor of Spain has requested the resumption of the international arrest warrant for the former president of Catalonia, reports DW.

The President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Roger Torrent, announced that after consultations with the representatives of the parties in the Parliament, he has again proposed Carles Puigdemont as a candidate for the Regional Presidency of Catalonia. The debate on the proposed President should start by January 31. The candidate has to present his government program in it, then the selection will take place.

Spain's central government had previously signaled legal action against such actions. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced that a president of the region must be physically present. In the event that the parliament nevertheless elects Puigdemont as regional President, Rajoy has said that the reins of the regional administration could once again pass into the hands of the central government in Madrid.

New international arrest warrant?

Puigdemont had announced after the new victory of the separatist parties on December 21 that he would present his government program via video link from Brussels. If he enters Spain, Puigdemont is threatened with immediate arrest. The 55-year-old is accused of rebellion, insurrection and abuse of public funds. This after the holding in Spain of a banned referendum on independence as well as the subsequent decision on the secession of Catalonia from Spain.

On Monday, the former President of Catalonia arrived in Denmark, to participate in a university debate in Copenhagen. This led the Attorney General of Spain to request that the EU arrest warrant for Puigdemont be renewed. The judge is not obliged to respect this request of the Prosecutor.