Catalan parties propose third potential leader in race against courts

Catalan pro-independence parties are launching a third bid to elect a regional president hours before their latest candidate appears before a judge over his part in the push for secession.

MPs will meet at 5pm on Thursday for a hastily convened investiture debate that could result in the election of Jordi Turull, former chief of staff to Carles Puigdemont, the deposed Catalan president.

On Friday morning, Turull is due to attend the supreme court where he and five other separatist leaders will learn what exact charges they face over last year’s unilateral referendum and subsequent declaration of independence.

Turull and the others, who face rebellion charges that carry a maximum 30-year sentence, could be remanded in custody. If charged, Puigdemont’s former aide could be barred from holding office.

Catalonia has been under direct rule from Madrid since the end of October, when Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, responded to the unilateral independence declaration by sacking Puigdemont and his government and calling snap elections that where held in December.

The three Catalan pro-independence parties retained their majority but have struggled to elect a president. Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium five months ago and faces immediate arrest should he return to Spain, had hoped to reassume office but abandoned his campaign after a court ruled he would have to attend an investiture debate in person.

Puigdemont anointed Jordi Sànchez, a prominent independence leader and MP from his Together for Catalonia party, as the new candidate. But Spain’s supreme court ruled that Sànchez, who has been in custody since October, could not leave prison to be invested.

On Wednesday, Sànchez withdrew his candidacy and gave up his seat in parliament, saying it was “the best service I can now do for my country”.

Turull described his nomination as “an immense honour”, adding: “If parliament gives me its confidence, I will work ceaselessly for the progress and protection of 7.5 million Catalans, their rights, their freedom and their democratic mandates.”

However, to be elected, he will need the support of the small, anti-capitalist Popular Unity candidacy (CUP), which is pushing for the swift resumption of the independence process.

After the 2015 elections, the CUP refused to support Puigdemont’s predecessor, Artur Mas, arguing he was too mired in corruption allegations. Mas stepped aside, clearing the way for Puigdemont’s presidency.

CUP MPs will meet two hours before the investiture debate to decide whether to back Turull, who was fiercely loyal to Mas.

Roger Torrent, the pro-independence speaker of the Catalan parliament, said he had moved to call the debate so quickly because of the Spanish authorities’ “meddling in our parliament in recent days and weeks”.

The Spanish government, which has repeatedly warned Catalan MPs to choose a “clean candidate”, accused Torrent of damaging the dignity of the regional parliament. It has also warned it could maintain control of Catalonia’s institutions until there is a new government that “abides by the law”.