Catalan separatist Puigdemont to return to Spain after warrant lifted

Spain’s Constitutional Court ruled an amnesty law for Catalan separatists applied to the politician.Self-exiled Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont could be set to return to Spain after the country’s Constitutional Court ruled that an amnesty law for Catalan separatists applies to embezzlement charges against Puigdemont.A Supreme Court judge then lifted a warrant for Puigdemont’s arrest on Tuesday, clearing the way for his return without fear of arrest.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Catalonia’s former leader denounces Madrid’s ‘threats’list 2 of 3German prosecutors request Puigdemont’s extradition to Spainlist 3 of 3Spain withdraws request for Puigdemont’s extraditionend of listPuigdemont, then president of Catalonia, fled to Belgium in 2017 after holding an independence referendum for his self-governing region to break away from Spain. Madrid said the vote was illegal.Catalonia unilaterally declared independence from Spain that year after the referendum, with 90 percent of voters backing independence.He has since avoided several extradition attempts by Spain to face trial over the vote, while many of his confidants and supporters spent time in prison.Members of Puigdemont’s political party Junts welcomed his potential return.“It’s a great victory for President Puigdemont and the two other exiled ‌[leaders in Belgium]”, Jordi Turull, secretary-general of Junts, told reporters.“They held firm, they resisted, they prevailed in Europe, and today they have prevailed against the Spanish state.”Junts’ role in Spain’s snap electionPuigdemont appears set to return to Spain just as the country is preparing for a snap election in November, although an official from his Junts party said he is unlikely to take part.Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was only able to remain in power in 2023 when Puigdemont’s Junts party, along with another Catalan party, backed his new government in exchange for the amnesties.