There is a risk of arrest if you enter the country: separatist Puigdemont wants to run in the Catalan elections

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Carles Puigdemont announced his candidacy in the evening

Photo: Lionel Bonaventure / AFP

Separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who fled into exile in 2017, has announced that he will run in the upcoming regional elections in Catalonia. The 61-year-old announced this to party members in the small town of Elne in southern France in the evening. "I have decided to run for the Catalan parliament in the next election," he said not far from the border with his homeland, to great applause from his supporters. "The most important goal we have set ourselves is to make the independence process a success." The regional elections will take place on May 12th.

This is Puigdemont's third candidacy since his escape from Spanish law enforcement. He also ran in the regional elections in Catalonia in December 2017 and February 2021.

Puigdemont faces arrest

However, he would face arrest in Spain for his role in the illegal 2017 independence referendum and the region's attempted secession from Spain. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had agreed on an amnesty with the separatists in order, among other things, to secure his re-election last fall with their votes. However, due to parliamentary deliberations, the amnesty could only come into force after the election at the earliest.

Puigdemont's lawyer Gonzalo Boye has already announced that his client will return to Spain. The 61-year-old will also accept that he will be arrested upon entry.

In Spain, the prospect that Puigdemont could win the election and once again push for a breakaway from the economically strong region in the northeast of the country has sparked great concern. In addition, the minority government of Sánchez is dependent on the votes of the separatists, who can thus give a lot of emphasis to their demands.

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. Junts and the more left-wing separatist party ERC, which is also currently in power, could perform roughly equally well.

Catalonia was plunged into chaos after an illegal independence referendum and a subsequent decision to secede from Spain in 2017. Puigdemont was able to flee abroad with other members of the government. Several of the comrades-in-arms who remained in the country were 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.

svs/dpa