In a significant legal development, Spain's Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena has revoked the national arrest warrant for Carles Puigdemont, the former president of Catalonia's regional government. The decision follows a ruling by Spain's Constitutional Court that endorsed applying the 2024 amnesty law to the Catalan independence drive, including charges of embezzlement linked to the 2017 referendum.
The amnesty law, designed to cover those prosecuted over the "procés", had been interpreted narrowly by the Supreme Court, which argued that the use of public funds to finance the 1 October 2017 independence referendum could not be amnestied because organisers had allegedly obtained personal financial benefit. However, the Constitutional Court rejected that interpretation in a recent ruling on an appeal by former Catalan regional minister Dolors Bassa, paving the way for Llarena to lift the warrant.
What this means for Puigdemont
Puigdemont has lived outside Spain since October 2017, when he left the country after Madrid imposed direct rule on Catalonia under Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. The amnesty law, passed in 2024, raised hopes of his return, but the Supreme Court's initial refusal to apply it to embezzlement kept the arrest warrant active.
In August 2024, Puigdemont made a brief, dramatic appearance in Barcelona during the investiture of Salvador Illa as Catalonia's regional president. He spoke publicly and then left Spain without being detained, despite the outstanding warrant. Now, with the warrant lifted, the legal barrier to his return has been removed.
The decision is a major victory for Puigdemont and the separatist movement, though it may also have political repercussions in Madrid. The amnesty law was a key concession by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to secure parliamentary support from Catalan parties, and its application has been contentious. The recent rejection of housing decrees in the Spanish Congress shows the fragility of Sánchez's coalition, and this ruling could further strain relations.
Puigdemont, who is also a member of the European Parliament, has not yet announced whether he will return to Spain. His legal team has welcomed the decision, while opponents argue that the amnesty law undermines the rule of law. The case has also drawn attention beyond Spain, as it touches on broader European questions of judicial independence and the handling of secessionist movements.
For now, the lifting of the arrest warrant marks a turning point in a saga that has defined Spanish politics for nearly a decade. Whether Puigdemont will take the opportunity to return remains to be seen, but the door is now open.
