{
  "id": 12372045,
  "title": "Spanish judge lifts arrest warrant for former Catalan leader Puigdemont, opening door to his return",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/spanish-judge-lifts-arrest-warrant-for-former-catalan-leader",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T11:48:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/06/spanish-judge-lifts-arrest-warrant-for-former-catalan-leader-puigdemont-opening-door-to-hi"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Spanish Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena has rescinded the national arrest warrant issued for former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.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.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Local Spain",
        "title": "Spanish judge lifts arrest warrant for exiled Catalan separatist leader",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/spanish-judge-lifts-arrest-warrant-for-exiled-catalan-separatist",
        "published": "2026-10-06T11:52:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Spain lifts arrest warrant for Catalan separatist Carles Puigdemont",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/spain-lifts-arrest-warrant-for-catalan-separatist-carles-puigdemont",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:10:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Spain in English",
        "title": "Puigdemont cleared to return to Spain as judge lifts arrest warrant after amnesty ruling",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/puigdemont-cleared-to-return-to-spain-as-judge-lifts-arrest-warrant",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:59:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Catalan separatist leader Puigdemont set for Spain return after arrest warrant lifted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/catalan-separatist-leader-puigdemont-set-for-spain-return-after",
        "published": "2026-10-06T13:02:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Spain court lifts Puigdemont arrest warrant, clearing way for his return home ahead of November elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/spain-court-lifts-puigdemont-arrest-warrant-clearing-way-for-his",
        "published": "2026-10-06T14:06:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}