Spanish judge lifts arrest warrant for former Catalan leader Puigdemont, opening door to his return
The former regional president has lived abroad since Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence in 2017, and left the country without being detained after a brief public appearance in Barcelona in 2024.
Spanish Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena has rescinded the national arrest warrant issued for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont. This decision comes after the Constitutional Court endorsed applying the amnesty law to the independence drive that led to the 2017 referendum. The move removes a significant legal obstacle to Puigdemont's potential return to Spain.
The Supreme Court had previously rejected the amnesty for embezzlement related to the independence bid. Puigdemont, who has been residing abroad since October 2017, can now consider returning to Spain, though his whereabouts remain unclear.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Puigdemont cleared to return to Spain as judge lifts arrest warrant after amnesty ruling spainenglish.com
- Catalan separatist leader Puigdemont set for Spain return after arrest warrant lifted scmp.com
- Spanish judge lifts arrest warrant for exiled Catalan separatist leader thelocal.es
- Spain lifts arrest warrant for Catalan separatist Carles Puigdemont winnipegfreepress.com
