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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 16 January 2018

Spain warns Catalan leader against swearing-in from Brussels

BY CIARAN GILES cannot be sworn in as Cat-
Associated Press alan president via video
MADRID (AP) — Former link to Barcelona.
Catalan President Carles One of the reasons they
Puigdemont faced addi- cited was that a candidate
tional obstacles Monday in has to be able to debate
his attempt to stand for his directly with political par-
old job from his bolt hole in ties, news agency Europa
Belgium. Press reported.
Legal advisers told the Cat- The region’s anti-indepen-
alan parliament on Mon- dence opposition and
day that Puigdemont can’t Rajoy’s government have
be sworn in unless he shows said they would take the
up in person in the cham- matter to the Constitutional
ber, while Spain’s prime Court of Spain if lawmakers
minister vowed to maintain vote for Puigdemont as re-
Madrid’s direct rule over gional president. Rajoy also
Catalonia if the fugitive said Monday that the new
separatist politician tries to president would have to be
resume office from Brussels. sworn into office in person,
Monday’s developments adding that the Spanish Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, center, walks in the park with elected Catalan
complicate matters for government would contin- lawmakers of his Together for Catalonia party in Brussels on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018.
Puigdemont, who had ue invoking constitutional (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
hoped to present his candi- authority to run Catalonia meet for the first time Thurs- parliament following an il- under investigation. The
dacy to Catalonia’s parlia- until that happens. day. An initial vote to pick legal independence refer- Catalan parliament legal
ment by video or through a “It’s absurd that someone Catalonia’s next president endum. experts said the three in jail
delegate. That way, he can may intend to be a candi- is likely to take place by the Five regional lawmakers, in- can delegate their vote
avoid returning to Spain date to be the head of the end of the month. cluding Puigdemont, have to another person, but not
and being arrested. Puig- regional government while Much to Rajoy’s ire, seces- fled Spain and three more, the five currently fugitive in
demont was re-elected a being in Brussels and run- sionist parties again won including former Vice Presi- Belgium. The parties that
regional lawmaker during a ning away from Justice,” the most seats in a Dec. dent Oriol Junqueras, are in promote Catalan indepen-
parliamentary election last Rajoy said on Monday. 21 election the prime min- jail facing possible charges dence jointly hold 66 of the
month after campaigning “This is no longer just a ju- ister called under tempo- of rebellion or sedition. regional chamber’s 135
from Brussels. dicial and political prob- rary takeover powers it Other former Cabinet seats and also have sup-
After analyzing the law, lem, this a problem of pure assumed after removing members and parliamen- port from four pro-indepen-
Catalan parliament legal common sense.” Puigdemont’s government tary officials have been re- dence, anti-establishment
experts said Puigdemont The new parliament is set to and dissolving the regional leased from jail, but remain lawmakers.q
Italian candidate for premier defends ‘white race’ remark

By FRANCES D’EMILIO by Attilio Fontana, who is Sunday on Radio Pada- ety must continue to exist that respects our history,
Associated Press running for the governor- nia, the mouthpiece of the or if it must be cancelled our society.” The vote for
ROME (AP) — The head of ship of prosperous Lom- League. He said that being out.” As outrage grew, Fon- governor is being held on
an anti-migrant party who bardy, his League party unwilling to “accept all” tana, sought to downplay March 4, the same day as
is running to be Italy’s pre- leader, Matteo Salvini, said immigrants “isn’t a ques- the remarks on Monday national elections, which
mier came to the defense Fontana had rightly raised tion of being xenophobic while out on the campaign sees Salvini as one of the
Monday of an Italian gu- a worry about an “inva- or racist, but a question of trail in northern Italy. He candidates who have so
bernatorial candidate who sion” by Muslims. being logical or rational.” explained that his remark, far announced their can-
advocated for clamping Fontana, who is running “We can’t (accept all) be- indicating the white race didacy for the premiership.
down on immigrants’ num- with support from a center- cause we all don’t fit, thus should get priority to live in Salvini’s party is running in
bers to preserve “our white right alliance, whose back- we must make choices,” Italy, to “a lapse, an error in elections for Parliament in
race.” ers include former Premier Fontana said. “We must expression. I meant to say a center-right alliance with
While political opponents Silvio Berlusconi, made the decide if our ethnicity, if we must all re-organize a Berlusconi’s party and a
condemned the comment incendiary comments on our white race, if our soci- different kind of welcome small right-wing party.q