Catalan Leader Puigdemont Set to Return to Spain After Warrant Dropped
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Carles Puigdemont, Catalan separatist leader
ABC News - Judge Pablo Llarena, Spain’s Constitutional Court, Puigdemont's party Junts
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Puigdemont is expected to return to Spain after the lifting of the arrest warrant, marking his first return in nearly a decade.
ABC News - Spain lifted the arrest warrant for Carles Puigdemont, allowing him to return home without fear of detention for the first time in nearly a decade.
ABC News - Puigdemont fled Spain for Belgium in 2017 after a failed illegal secession attempt for Catalonia.
ABC News - Judge Llarena lifted the arrest warrant moments after the Constitutional Court announced it would apply a government amnesty to one of Puigdemont’s cohorts found guilty of misusing public funds.
ABC News - Puigdemont's party announced he will give a press conference later on Tuesday from Waterloo.
WHERE:
Al Jazeera - Puigdemont will hold a press conference from Waterloo, Belgium, where he has been living in exile.
ABC News - Spain, Belgium, Catalonia, Waterloo
WHEN:
ABC News - The arrest warrant was lifted on a Tuesday, with Puigdemont expected to hold a press conference later that same day.
WHY:
ABC News - The lifting of the arrest warrant was influenced by the Constitutional Court's decision to apply a government amnesty to Puigdemont’s cohort.
HOW:
ABC News - Judge Llarena stated he was lifting the arrest warrant while awaiting the opportunity to study the Constitutional Court’s decision, which he indicated would likely affect the warrant.
(UPDATED October 7, 2026 05:06 UTC)
Puigdemont is set to return to Spain after the lifting of the arrest warrant, marking his first visit back in nearly a decade. He will hold a press conference from Waterloo, Belgium, where he has been living in exile. This significant event is drawing attention as it marks a pivotal moment in his political journey.
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(UPDATED October 7, 2026 02:17 UTC)
Spain has lifted the arrest warrant for Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, allowing him to return home without fear of detention for the first time in nearly a decade. This decision came shortly after Judge Pablo Llarena announced the warrant's removal, influenced by the Constitutional Court's application of a government amnesty to one of Puigdemont’s associates. Puigdemont's party has confirmed that he will hold a press conference later today from Waterloo.