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Fugitive Catalan leader withdraws candidacy for Catalan Presidency

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont
Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont
MADRID, March 2 (KUNA) -- Fugitive Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont announced late Thursday that he was withdrawing his candidacy as President of the Catalan region.
"I will not put myself forward as candidate to be appointed regional president," said Puigdemont in a statement through his social media accounts.
"We will achieve independence for the people we represent - that is our mandate and we will fulfil it," affirmed the official who indicated that he was stepping down to allow detained activist Jordi Sanchez to have a chance to win the Presidency. Puigdemont is in self-imposed exile in Belgium.
Sanchez, 53, is a pro-independence politician who shares Puigdemont's aspiration from the people of Catalonia. Sanchez is in prison on charges related to the independence movement.
Any general elections in the region must be held no later than February 4, 2022.
The region of Catalonia held a referendum in October of 2017, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence. Spain was not in favor of the move, sacking the regional Catalan government and imprisoning several key pro-independence figures. (end) gta