Carles Puigdemont

Carles Puigdemont, a journalist by trade, entered politics as a staunch advocate for Catalan identity. His ascent to the presidency of Catalonia in 2016 turned him into the central actor in a high-stakes political drama. Defying Spanish courts and the national government, he orchestrated an independence referendum in October 2017, which was met with police violence and declared illegal. The subsequent, fleeting declaration of independence led to his removal by Madrid, forcing him into self-imposed exile in Belgium. From abroad, he became a symbol of the cause, evading extradition and serving as a member of the European Parliament, where he argued Catalonia's case on an international stage. His political career remains defined by that catalytic autumn, a period that reshaped Spanish politics and cemented his status as a figure of fervent devotion and profound controversy.