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Turull next to the empty seat of Puigdemont in the parliament.
Catalan separatist MPs play cat and mouse with Madrid's Supreme Court

Catalan separatist MPs play cat and mouse with Madrid's Supreme Court

The region's parliament rushed through a vote on new presidential choice, Jordi Turull, ahead of his possible imprisonment today, but were thwarted by the radical CUP party

SUR

Friday, 23 March 2018, 13:51

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A new chapter was being written in the ongoing saga of Catalan politics this week with the expected failed attempt to invest a new regional presidential candidate ahead of his possible arrest.

Following the resignation of imprisoned Jordi Sànchez as regional MP and candidate to run the regional government, who in turn was only a candidate as preferred option Carles Puigdemont is in self-imposed exile in Belgium to avoid arrest, the Catalan speaker had been considering the name of Jordi Turull as possible candidate as new regional head.

Turull is a conservative Catalan separatist, seen as linked to past corruption scandals. He is also being investigated by the Supreme Court in Madrid for his role in last October's declaration of independence but has not been held in jail.

On Wednesday the Supreme Court announced that it was summoning Turull and others for today (Friday), raising the spectre that he might be held. This possibility forced the Catalan parliament's speaker to hastily bring forward an investiture debate to Thursday in his belief that if Turull were president he was less likely to be jailed.

However the four MPs of radical left-wing CUP, needed to get the vote through, decided last minute not to vote for Turull in the first round, saying his agenda wasn't republican enough for them.

Holding the debate means the clock is now ticking on new elections in two months if no president is elected. Turull could have still been voted in in a second round if he were not arrested first and if two CUP regional MPs changed their mind.

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