FUGITIVE Catalan president Carlos Puigdemont met the speaker of Catalonia’s parliament in Brussels today for talks on his potential re-election.

Separatist parties won a narrow majority in the regional legislature in December elections prompted by the decision of Mr Puigdemont’s administration to hold a referendum on independence unilaterally.

That was met with overwhelming violence by Spanish security forces and its big majority for separation was undermined by a low turnout, with many Catalans opposed to independence refusing to take part in what they saw as an illegitimate vote.