The separatist former leader of Catalonia, who spearheaded the province's independence last year before fleeing political exile in Belgium, announced on Thursday that he had decided "for the time being" not to run for president of the Catalan government, but insisted his goal was to defend the "democracy" of Catalonia "everywhere".
Denouncing his candidacy for the presidency of the province of 7,5 million people was "the only way to form a new government" in Catalonia, Carles Putzdemon explained in a video he posted on his Twitter account. In the video, at an undisclosed location, Putzdemon speaks against the backdrop of the Catalan and EU flags.
The attempt of the Catalan separatists to gain independence for the province plunged Spain into a major constitutional and political crisis. The Spanish central government intervened when the independence referendum was held on October 1, deploying huge police forces, ousting the government, dissolving the provincial parliament and calling new local elections.
In the December 21st elections, however, the separatist parties again won a majority of seats in the local parliament, bringing Madrid to the same dilemma and raising questions about the composition of the next local government.
The Constitutional Court ruled that Putzdemon could not run in the election, much less run for president while abroad.
Putzdemon is likely to be arrested and taken to prison when he returns to Spain. The 55-year-old former journalist, who was elected President of Catalonia in January 2016, was ousted from Madrid on October 27, a few hours after the declaration of independence of the "Catalan Republic" approved by the local parliament. His decision not to return to Spanish territory and not to run for a new term in the leadership of the Catalan government paves the way for another candidate to take over.
Putzdemon said his conservative separatist party would nominate Jordi Sanchez, who is currently in a Madrid prison on charges of sedition, insurgency and treason. Sanchez's candidacy is also considered difficult to proceed due to the decisions of the Spanish justice.
The decision announced by Putzdemon is a blow to the separatist camp.
Conservative Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also said on Thursday that in order to become the next Catalan president, "someone who is currently in Spain must be elected" and "has no problems with the law", adding that Catalonia needed a new leader "as soon as possible". , someone "who is able to govern and take care of issues that matter to its citizens".
Lawyers have filed a lawsuit against Spain in the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of Putzdemon, he said, alleging a breach of the right to self-determination. Three imprisoned Catalan separatist leaders have taken refuge in the same UN body, apparently hoping that pressure on Madrid to release them will intensify. Also Thursday, the Catalan parliament voted in favor of Putzdemon, reaffirming that it considers the result of last year's referendum valid after a tense session.