Catalan parliament begins investiture vote without Puigdemont

Catalonia's parliament began an investiture vote to elect a new leader on Thursday without separatist former leader Carles Puigdemont, who returned to Spain earlier in the day after seven years on the run.

Puigdemont, who is the target of an arrest warrant over his role in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid, addressed supporters at a park near parliament, saying he had returned "to remind you that we are still here."

AFP