Some members of the Catalan party Junts want leader Carles Puigdemont to run in Spain’s snap parliamentary election on November 29. No decision has been announced, and his return from Belgium remains dependent on the courts completing the amnesty process.
ABC reported, citing party sources, that some Junts figures are discussing a joint electoral ticket pairing Puigdemont with the party’s current parliamentary spokesperson, Míriam Nogueras. They believe his participation could energize supporters ahead of the vote. Puigdemont and his team have not publicly confirmed a candidacy.
Spain’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the amnesty law applies to embezzlement charges tied to the Catalan independence case. The Supreme Court still has to complete its review. Puigdemont has lived in Belgium since 2017. EFE reported that he does not plan to return until the courts fully apply the amnesty, leaving the timing uncertain.
Junts is also debating its future leadership. ABC says some party figures view Nogueras as a possible candidate for head of the Catalan government in the next regional election, expected in about two years. They hope Puigdemont’s return will help clarify the party’s succession.
A national campaign by Puigdemont could affect the contest for pro-independence voters and reshape political debate in Madrid. It is not clear whether he could take a seat in Congress or when he would return. ABC’s sources said the party’s immediate focus was the November 29 election.