BARCELONA, Spain — Nearly six years in the past, the chief of Catalonia’s failed secession bid slipped secretly throughout the Spanish border to flee arrest and begin a life as a self-styled political exile.

Now, Carles Puigdemont has the way forward for Spain’s authorities in his palms.

An inconclusive nationwide election Sunday has left Spain in political limbo. No chief got here near an absolute majority or was left with a assured path to forming a authorities within the 350-seat Parliament with 11 events unfold throughout the spectrum.

Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is closest to fixing the puzzle after his Socialist occasion resisted what polls had incorrectly predicted could be a right-wing landslide. But his occasion and allies on the left are nonetheless just a few seats in need of an outright majority.

This is the place Puigdemont comes into play. Puigdemont’s Junts (Together) occasion will maintain seven seats, whose assist - even within the type of an abstention as a substitute of a “Yes” vote - could possibly be sufficient to provide Sánchez one other four-year time period.

Puigdemont, 60, threatened to interrupt up the eurozone’s fourth-largest economic system when he made a short-lived bid for Catalonia’s independence in October 2017, which was not acknowledged internationally and produced a swift crackdown by Spanish authorities.

Since putting in himself in Waterloo, Belgium, he has been in a position to forge a close to cult-like following amongst his a whole lot of 1000's of supporters who contemplate him a hero in addition to a sufferer of what they are saying is Spain’s quest to quash their political motion. That has helped him beat the percentages and maintain his political profession alive, turning into a European Parliament member in 2019 despite the fact that he's a whole lot of miles from the nation he represents.

His status as a crafty thorn-in-the-side of Spain has grown as he has wiggled out of 1 tight squeeze after one other following extradition arrests in Germany and Sardinia. He satisfied Belgian courts to refuse to ship him again to Spain.

But the value of a Puigdemont compromise could also be too excessive for Sánchez.

Junts’ objectives are to power Spain to authorize a binding secession referendum and grant full amnesty for Puigdemont and what they are saying are 1000's of others dealing with minor fees. Those have been the calls for his occasion laid out earlier than election evening, anticipating a situation wherein Junts might play kingmaker to Sánchez.

“We haven’t come this far to lower our demands. We are here to achieve them,” Junts president Laura Borràs mentioned in Barcelona on Tuesday. “This is a key moment because the separatist movement and Junts can decide the government.”

Josep Rius, a spokesman for Junts, advised The Associated Press by cellphone that Sánchez understands their calls for.

“We are not surprised that he has nothing to offer so far, since we have been waiting to hear what his solution is to the political problem of Catalonia for years,” Rius mentioned.

Sánchez has persistently rejected granting a referendum that might result in Spain dropping one in all its wealthiest areas and abandoning tens of millions who don’t wish to reside in one other state. And that won't change now.

But Sánchez’s time in energy has been outlined in nice half by his willingness to spend political capital to scale back tensions in Catalonia.

Sánchez pardoned 9 cohorts of Puigdemont who didn't flee in 2017 and had been convicted to lengthy jail phrases, and he eased legal guidelines on sedition and the misuse of public funds that lowered the potential punishments for Puigdemont and others.

So it's not unthinkable that he might assist Puigdemont.

“This situation is a problem for the Socialists, but also an opportunity to end the deadlock,” Lluís Orriols, professor of political science at Madrid’s Carlos III University, mentioned.

“(Junts) depends a lot on a charismatic leaders like Carles Puigdemont. His figure is pivotal in Junts, and Puigdemont’s problem with his likely imprisonment in Spain could play a key role in this negotiation.”

Puigdemont’s authorized protection suffered a current defeat when Europe’s excessive courtroom dominated this month that the European Parliament didn't violate Puigdemont’s rights when it stripped him of his immunity as one in all its members, as requested by Spain. Puigdemont has appealed that call, but when he loses his case, Spain could be nearer to bringing him house to face trial and sending him to jail for six to 12 years for misusing public funds within the secession bid.

On Monday, Spain’s state prosecutor’s workplace requested the Spanish decide main the Puigdemont investigation to order a brand new worldwide arrest warrant.

“One day you are decisive in order to form a Spanish government, the next day Spain orders your arrest,” Puigdemont wrote on Twitter on listening to that he was nonetheless a wished man.

If Sánchez and Puigdemont can not attain an understanding, Spain is probably going headed for a repeat election within the coming months.

Catalonia, a area happy with its personal language and customs, has not solely been a headache for Sánchez. It was a part of his salvation on Sunday.

Sánchez’s Socialists received probably the most votes in Catalonia, sending 19 lawmakers to Madrid. Junts and different separatist events misplaced floor.

While Sánchez did extraordinarily effectively with unionists, he additionally satisfied some separatist-minded voters that he was the perfect assure to cease Spain‘s far-right Vox occasion, which is feared by many for its ultra-nationalist bent.

“At least they (Sánchez’ possible government) should give us something in return,” mentioned Sergi Pons, a 46-year-old architect who usually votes for separatist events however this time went for the Socialists. He hopes Sánchez stays in cost.

“If not, we will return to elections and that can lead to the right coming out stronger.”

Puigdemont and Junts have already misplaced their grip on Catalonia’s authorities, and the Socialists snatched management of the mayor’s workplace in Barcelona from the Junts candidate who had regarded sure to take energy. During his marketing campaign, Sánchez felt assured sufficient to say: “Mr. Puigdemont is of the past. He was a problem for Spain. Today he is an anecdote.”

Now his Socialist occasion will face some very sophisticated negotiations with Puigdemont’s group.

Puigdemont is taken into account public enemy No. 1 by many Spaniards, so simply coping with him is politically poisonous. And along with being fiscally conservative and having little widespread floor with leftist events, Junts is prisoner of its personal rhetoric as true hardline separatists who received’t settle for watered-down offers.

For Oriol Bartomeus, professor of political science at Autonomous University of Barcelona, Sánchez might conclude {that a} new election is preferable to being held political hostage by a fugitive.

“It is unclear that Junts would gain something by refusing and forcing a repetition of the elections,” Bartomeus mentioned. “In that case, Junts could lose all its influence in Spain and Puigdemont would have to accept that he will serve his full prison sentence.”

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Associated Press video journalist Renata Brito contributed to this report.

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