Carles Puigdemont, the exiled former president of Catalonia, has ended his re-election bid.
Inconveniently for his political ambitions, Puigdemont faces arrest should he return to Spanish territory which has made it difficult for him to campaign and left the big question unanswered, could he rule from Belgium?
Announcing his 'provisionally withdrawal' from his own electoral programme, Puigdemont said his decision was made so that a new regional government could be formed, thus ending direct rule from Madrid, a situation that has been in place since October 2017, when Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy wheeled out constitutional legislation to seize power in Catalonia.
Puigdemont and his political colleagues were sacked by Rajoy, some were imprisoned and other fled to Belgium where they have been ever since.
Rajoy then called a regional election, which the pro-secession parties won. Puigdemont has campaigned hard to be re-instated as president, despite living in Belgium. Supporters say he could govern remotely, a proposal that Madrid has dismissed.
Puigdemont then proposed a pro-secession campaigner, Jordi Sanchez, as an alternative candidate for the presidency. The problem here is that Sanchez is in jail in Madrid on charges of sedition.
The Catalan parliament voted to support establishing a leader-in-exile but Puigdemont now has stepped down, weakening both the party and the cause.
