Catalan separatist Puigdemont to return to Spain after warrant lifted | Elections News
Spain’s Constitutional Court Rules Amnesty Law Applies to Puigdemont
Published Oct. 6, 2026
Carles Puigdemont, the self-exiled leader of the Catalan separatist movement, may soon return to Spain following a ruling by the country’s Constitutional Court affirming that an amnesty law for Catalan separatists extends to embezzlement charges against him.
On Tuesday, a Supreme Court judge lifted a warrant for Puigdemont’s arrest, allowing him to return to Spain without the risk of detention.
Puigdemont, who was the president of Catalonia at the time, fled to Belgium in 2017 after conducting a referendum aimed at achieving independence for Catalonia, which the Spanish government declared illegal. The referendum yielded a 90 percent majority favoring independence, yet the Spanish government did not recognize the outcome.
Since his departure, Puigdemont has evaded multiple extradition attempts by Spain to face trial, while many of his associates and supporters have served prison sentences.
Members of Puigdemont’s political party, Junts, expressed enthusiasm regarding his possible return. “It’s a great victory for President Puigdemont and the two other exiled leaders in Belgium,” said Jordi Turull, secretary-general of Junts, in a statement. “They held firm, they resisted, they prevailed in Europe, and today they have prevailed against the Spanish state.”
As Spain prepares for a snap election scheduled for November, an official from Junts noted that Puigdemont is unlikely to participate.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government survived in 2023 with the backing of Puigdemont’s party, which had supported a coalition in exchange for amnesty provisions. However, Junts withdrew its support a year later, contributing to the government’s loss of two critical votes this week on proposed emergency housing measures amid ongoing public protests.
In response to the political unrest surrounding housing issues, Sánchez called for the upcoming election, aiming to rally his party’s base. He expressed no regrets about the amnesty law, stating, “I believe the important message is that of coexistence among Catalans.”
Despite a decline in separatist sentiment and Junts trailing in recent opinion polls, Puigdemont’s return could reignite political tensions in Spain. The conservative People’s Party, currently leading in polls, may need to seek support from Junts and other center-right parties to secure governing power following the election.
