The detention of Carles Puigdemont in Germany opened a fresh chapter of confrontation over the Catalan independence drive on Monday, as galvanised secessionists renewed their bid to return the ousted leader to the presidency.
Even as Mr Puigdemont was remanded to a German prison, independence parties called for an urgent parliamentary session to push through a reform allowing for his long-distance inauguration, in defiance of a ban on such a move from Spain’s Constitutional Court.
Mr Puigdemont yesterday appeared in court in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, where he was detained by police shortly before midday Sunday and later sent to Neumünster prison.
The judge ruled he must remain in custody while Spain’s extradition request is considered by the courts – a process which must be completed within 60 days.
Debate meanwhile raged at home and across Europe over Spain’s crackdown on independence leaders, which saw 13 formally charged with rebellion and other crimes such as misappropriation of public funds on Friday.
Spain’s Supreme Court immediately issued international arrest warrants for the seven politicians who have fled into exile, prompting Mr Puigdemont’s detention on Sunday
The former president left Barcelona for Brussels in late October to avoid arrest after the Spanish authorities removed his government and imposed direct rule, following the banned referendum and unilateral declaration of independence.
He travelled to Finland last week to speak at an event but left on Saturday to return to Belgium, eschewing the flight on which he was booked and instead setting off by car.
Mr Puigdemont was seized by German police just after crossing the border from Denmark after an operation involving Spanish intelligence agents.
Spanish intelligence had been monitoring him on his trip to Finland and who had placed a tracking device in his vehicle, according to security sources widely quoted in the Spanish press.
Prime Minister Theresa May and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said only that they supported the rule of law in Spain.
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