Carles Puigdemont

Puigdemont was elected as the 130th President of the Government of Catalonia, succeeding Artur Mas. He led a pro-independence coalition government and pledged to continue the process toward a referendum on Catalan independence.

Puigdemont's government held a unilateral independence referendum on October 1, 2017, despite a Spanish constitutional court ban and police crackdown. The referendum resulted in a 'Yes' vote but was not recognized internationally and led to a political crisis.

On October 10, 2017, Puigdemont declared independence from Spain but immediately suspended its implementation to allow for negotiations. This ambiguous move was rejected by the Spanish government and deepened the political standoff.

After the Spanish government invoked Article 155 to impose direct rule on Catalonia and dismissed his government, Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid prosecution for rebellion and sedition. He remained in self-imposed exile, leading the independence movement from abroad.

Puigdemont was arrested in Germany while traveling from Finland, based on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Spain for rebellion. A German court refused extradition on the rebellion charge but allowed it for misuse of public funds. He was later released on bail.

Puigdemont was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Junts party. His election provided him with parliamentary immunity, though it was later challenged by Spanish authorities, leading to legal battles in the European Court of Justice.