Puigdemont made his announcement from the French village of Elne, located just 20 kilometers from the Spanish border. Although he is still being pursued by Spanish prosecutors and is currently the subject of a terrorism probe, the separatist leader has expressed confidence that the controversial Catalan amnesty bill passed by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government will allow him to return to his native land in time to take office.
“Today the countdown for my return begins,” he said, adding that he would return to Catalonia if he has majority support to be sworn in as president of the region. “I will leave exile permanently to attend the plenary session and ask for the confidence of the parliament in person.”
Uncertain victor
Puigdemont’s victory in the regional elections is anything but assured. The Socialist Party candidate, former Health Minister Salvador Illa, is currently leading in the polls, and it is unclear whether the millions who came out in favor of Puigdemont’s self-determination referendum back in 2017 will be moved to back his bid for higher office. The separatist leader was last a candidate to lead Catalonia in 2021; on that occasion, his Junts party came in at third place.
During his speech, Puigdemont broached the possibility of pro-independence parties coming together to run in a coalition — presumably under his leadership. “I will never stop asking for unity,” he said. “Our country has never benefitted when we go it alone.”
The proposal is unlikely to go anywhere. Puigdemont has routinely attacked the ruling Republican Left of Catalonia party for its willingness to engage in negotiations with Madrid, and current Catalan president Pere Aragonès has not suggested he would be willing to play second fiddle to his predecessor.
