Politics Catalan separatist leader returns to Spain
The influential Catalan separatist leader Marta Rovira is back in Spain after a six-year exile in Switzerland. The 47-year-old crossed the border between France and Catalonia in a car with four other supporters.
12.07.2024, 14:28
SDA
Shortly afterwards, she gave a combative speech in Cantallops: "We have come back to finish what we left unfinished," she shouted to the cheers of many supporters and fellow campaigners. They carried a banner with the inscription "Freedom for Catalonia".
Rovira, who despite being in exile all these years has retained the post of Secretary General of the Republican Left (ERC), which governs Catalonia, said she had "often dreamed of this moment". The various representatives of the movement would have to act as one again. Only then could independence succeed. "But this democratic and unstoppable movement will never use violence to defend its ideas," she said.
The return of Carles Puigdemont is now eagerly awaited. However, this is proving to be more complicated because the judge responsible does not want to grant the former regional president immunity from prosecution and is upholding the arrest warrant against the 61-year-old.
His argument: Puigdemont was guilty of embezzlement by using public funds in the independence referendum of 2017, which was declared illegal. This also violated the financial interests of the EU. According to the judge, the amnesty law does not provide protection from prosecution for these cases.
Puigdemont assured that he would nevertheless return. He wanted to take part in the debates on the formation of the new government after the most recent regional elections in May in the parliament in Barcelona and apply for the post of regional president.
The Socialists of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and lead candidate Salvador Illa won the most seats in the election on May 12, but fell short of an absolute majority. However, the various pro-independence parties also missed out on a majority capable of governing for the first time since 1980. Sánchez saw this as a success for his policy of appeasement. However, if there is no new government in Barcelona by August 26, a new election will have to be called.
Under Puigdemont's aegis, Catalonia was plunged into chaos in October 2017 following the referendum and a decision to secede from Spain. The conservative central government at the time placed the region under forced administration. Puigdemont was able to flee into exile with several of his supporters and is currently still living in Belgium.
