The European Parliament has suspended the accreditation of all newly elected Spanish members after Carles Puigdemont and another Catalan separatist MEP were denied access to the building, sources said Friday.
On October 1, 2017, Catalan separatists held an illegal and divisive referendum which saw them launching a failed attempt to break away from Spain. A year on, however, the independence movement is divided and rudderless.
For Jaume Casamitjana, last year's banned independence referendum in Catalonia marked a watershed in his feelings about Spain, while for Alexandra Lopez-Liz, it pushed her to take a stand against the separatist movement.
Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Thursday rejected being re-appointed as leader of the region, following pressure from Spain's government and months of political turmoil over its independence bid.
Spain's government on Wednesday stepped in to block Carles Puigdemont from being re-appointed president of Catalonia, pressuring the separatist camp to pick another candidate and form a regional government after months of limbo.
Catalan separatists, meeting in Berlin, vowed on Saturday to attempt once again to get their leader-in-exile Carles Puigdemont reinstalled as president of the Spanish region while adding that they don't want to hold fresh elections.
Jailed Catalan pro-independence activist Jordi Sanchez was on Saturday proposed as the new regional president for a second time despite a failed first attempt.
Spain's public prosecutor's office said on Friday that it may appeal a German court's decision to reject the extradition of Catalonia's ousted separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to the European Court of Justice.
After 10 days in custody, the Catalan separatist leader has been officially released after German judges dismissed the charge of rebellion, but Carles Puigdemont could still face extradition on different grounds.
Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont foiled attempts by Finnish police to arrest him under a European arrest warrant, after his lawyer confirmed on Saturday he had left the country.
Catalonia's deposed leader Carles Puigdemont said in an interview published on Sunday that he should have declared independence earlier, as delaying the call in hopes of starting dialogue with Madrid proved futile.
Catalonia's deposed leader Carles Puigdemont went into exile late October fearing arrest over his failed secession bid but still hoping to retake his post as regional president. After four months of impasse, though, the separatist leader on Thursday abandoned his bid to resume the leadership of the wealthy province.
Catalan separatists began the challenging search for a new candidate to lead their region on Friday after deposed president Carles Puigdemont, in self-exile in Belgium and wanted in Spain, abandoned his comeback bid.
Catalonia's fugitive separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was under pressure on Sunday to return to Spain after the country's top court ruled he could not govern the region from abroad.
MPs from Denmark's coalition government parties were set to stay away from parliament during a meeting with former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Tuesday.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont disembarked his flight to Copenhagen on Monday morning despite a threat by Madrid to issue a warrant for his arrest if he leaves Belgium, where he has been in exile since a failed independence bid.
Spain wants ex-Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont arrested if he travels to Denmark for a university debate from his Belgian exile, the Spanish prosecution service said on Sunday.
Catalonia's former leader Carles Puigdemont, who led a failed attempt to break from Spain, will attend a conference in Copenhagen on Monday in what will be his first public trip since fleeing to Belgium in October.
Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont on Saturday demanded Madrid reinstate his regional government, which was deposed after an independence referendum that Spanish courts judged illegal, as part
of a political settlement.
Catalonia's deposed leader Carles
Puigdemont on Saturday launched his campaign for regional elections by calling on Catalans to make known their desire for independence.
A Belgian court will on Friday consider whether to send axed Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont back to Spain to face charges of rebellion and sedition over his region's independence drive.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel denied his government was in "crisis" over the arrival of deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, an issue which risks reigniting Belgian communal tensions.
A Spanish member of the European Parliament said on Monday that the sacked Catalan president, who is in Belgium awaiting possible extradition to Spain, was being used to fuel tensions between French-
and Flemish-speakers.
