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.

Spain dissolved the Catalan government and called new elections, while Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium to escape charges of rebellion and sedition. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy confirmed today that, if he dares to return, he will be arrested and, if the Catalan legislature tries to elect him in absentia, Madrid will deem the election illegal.

Spain’s King Philip VI said today in Davos that the Catalan push for independence was “an attempt to undermine the basic rules of our democratic system.”