Politics · Spain · 17 hrs ago
Puigdemont weighs timing of return as early election approaches
Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia, has been living in Waterloo since leaving Spain in 2017 to avoid arrest.
Spain’s Constitutional Court has upheld the full implementation of an amnesty, and the Supreme Court has lifted the arrest warrant against him.
His lawyer has not given a return date, but said Puigdemont would spend Christmas at his home in Girona.
Junts per Catalunya, Puigdemont’s party, has repeatedly argued that campaigning without him in Spain puts it at a disadvantage.
The party is struggling in opinion polls and hopes his return could strengthen its support in an upcoming early election.
But if Junts performs poorly with Puigdemont back and campaigning, it could undermine the party’s claim that his return would improve its fortunes.
Puigdemont has said his return would be in service of the country, not his party, and Junts says it will respect his plans.
Spain’s Constitutional Court upheld the full implementation of the amnesty, and the Supreme Court lifted the arrest warrant for Carles Puigdemont.
The rulings have renewed questions about when Puigdemont will return from Waterloo, Belgium.
Junts per Catalunya faces an early election and hopes his return could strengthen the party’s campaign.
A quick return could also expose the party to a setback if it performs poorly with Puigdemont campaigning in person.
Puigdemont has said his return would be in service of Catalonia, not his party.
- Who
- Carles Puigdemont, former president of Catalonia, and his party, Junts per Catalunya.
- What
- Puigdemont is weighing when to return to Spain after the arrest warrant against him was lifted.
- When
- Ahead of an early election; the article says he could potentially vote on 29 November.
- Where
- Puigdemont is in Waterloo, Belgium, and says he will spend Christmas at his home in Girona.
- Why
- Junts hopes his presence will strengthen its campaign, while a poor result after his return could hurt the party.
Junts per Catalunya campaign advocates
Puigdemont and his adviser Gonzalo Boye
Timing of return
Junts per Catalunya campaign advocates
Junts leaders have said campaigning without Puigdemont physically present puts the party at a disadvantage.
Puigdemont and his adviser Gonzalo Boye
Puigdemont has said his return is not for the service of his party, and Boye has avoided giving a return date.
Risk of a quick return
Junts per Catalunya campaign advocates
Party representatives have argued that Puigdemont’s return could help reverse the party’s weak polling.
Puigdemont and his adviser Gonzalo Boye
A poor election result with Puigdemont back and campaigning could be a serious setback; Boye has said returning without certain conditions would not be sensible.
We will not return in the service of our party, but of our country
We trust that the Supreme Court will resolve this quickly
We will respect, in form and substance, what he wants to propose
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called an early election.
Boye said he hoped the Supreme Court would act quickly and raised the possibility that Puigdemont could vote on 29 November.
The Constitutional Court upheld the full implementation of the amnesty, and the Supreme Court lifted Puigdemont’s arrest warrant.
Turull said Junts would respect Puigdemont’s plans for his return.
- Election date mentioned
- 29 November
- Puigdemont’s current location
- Waterloo
- Puigdemont’s stated Christmas destination
- His home in Girona
- Junts election record since 2017
- Nine electoral contests
- Result in the previous Catalan election
- PSC won by seven seats and nearly 200,000 votes over Junts
Sources
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