After 7 years on the run, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont returns to Spain

Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont returned to Spain, where local police formed a security ring around a section of a park where Catalonia’s parliament is located. Puigdemont was followed by a large group of supporters as he walked towards the building. His return has reignited tensions over the issue of Catalan independence, which stemmed from a failed secession attempt in 2017. It is unclear how authorities will proceed if Puigdemont is arrested. A controversial amnesty Bill proposed by Spain’s Socialist-led coalition government could potentially clear Puigdemont of any wrongdoing related to the illegal 2017 ballot, but it has been challenged by the Supreme Court. If arrested, Puigdemont could be placed in pre-trial detention. His return also complicates a political deal brokered between the Catalan Socialist Party and the main Catalan separatist party, which had secured enough support in parliament for the Socialist candidate to become the next regional president. Puigdemont’s presence in Spain has the potential to disrupt the delicate balance of politics in Catalonia, as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of the failed independence bid.

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