Carles Puigdemont remains in exile nine years after Catalan presidency

Carles Puigdemont remains in exile nine years after being elected as a president of Catalonia. Despite being elected as a Member of the European Parliament by the most voted list in Catalonia, he has been unable to return to his home region.

While amnesty and pardons resulting from investiture pacts have mitigated some aspects of legal repression, judicial authorities continue to resist the application of the law, specifically regarding interpretations of embezzlement. The situation is framed as a continued state of ostracism for the leader, despite legal perspectives from courts in Germany, Italy, and Belgium that viewed the actions as political in nature.