Carles Puigdemont
Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó (born 29 December 1962) was the 130th President of Catalonia.[1] In 2017, he fled the country.[2] His party, Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya, CDC) won the elections in 2016.
Carles Puigdemont | |
|---|---|
 Puigdemont in 2016 | |
| 130th President of Catalonia | |
| In office 12 January 2016 – 28 October 2017 | |
| Monarch | Felipe VI |
| Vice President | Oriol Junqueras |
| Preceded by | Artur Mas |
| Succeeded by | Quim Torra |
| Member of the Parliament of Catalonia for the Province of Barcelona | |
| Assumed office December 2017 | |
| Member of the Parliament of Catalonia for the Province of Girona | |
| In office 10 November 2006 – 27 October 2017 | |
| Mayor of Girona | |
| In office 1 July 2011 – 11 January 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Anna Pagans |
| Succeeded by | Albert Ballesta i Tura |
| Member of the Municipality Council of Girona | |
| In office 11 June 2007 – 11 January 2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó 29 December 1962 Amer, Catalonia, Spain |
| Political party | Catalan European Democratic Party |
| Other political affiliations | Junts per Catalunya |
| Spouse(s) | Marcela Topor (m. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Girona / Waterloo |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Carles Puigdemont |
Removal
His status as President is a matter of dispute following Catalonia's declaration of independence from Spain on 27 October 2017. From the perspective of the Government of Catalonia, he remains Catalan President. From the perspective of the Government of Spain, he was removed from office by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on 28 October 2017.[3] Puigdemont did not recognize his removal from office, stating that he will "work to build a free country".[4]
On 30 October 2017, Puigdemont fled to Belgium in a move to avoid action from the Spanish judiciary.[5] A month later, he was re-elected to the Parliament.[6]
Arrest
On 2 November, Spanish courts issued an European Arrest Warrant against Puigdemont and four other cabinet members to Belgian authorities.[7] Two days later, they turned themselves in to the Belgian police.[8] Hours later, he was released.[9]
On 25 March 2018, while returning to Brussels from a trip to Finland, Puigdemont was stopped near the Danish border with Germany and arrested pursuant to the European warrant that had been reissued against him two days previously.[10][11][12] On 5 April 2018, the Oberlandesgericht in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein ruled that Puigdemont would not be extradited on the charges of rebellion,[13] and released him on bail.[14]
Notes
References
This short article about a person or group of people can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.