MADRID: Spain’s prime minister warned yesterday that Madrid would maintain unpopular direct control of Catalonia if the former regional leader Carles Puigdemont tries to govern again from exile in Belgium, reports AFP.

Speaking to party members in Madrid, Mariano Rajoy said that Puigdemont had “to be physically present” in Catalonia to take office, and if that didn’t happen, the central government would maintain direct rule imposed after Catalan leaders declared independence in October. Puigdemont is the separatist camp’s favoured candidate to lead Catalonia again after pro-independence parties won an absolute majority in December regional elections.

But he is in self-imposed exile in Belgium and risks arrest on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for his role in the region’s failed independence bid if he comes back to Spain.

To be elected regional president, he should in theory be present at the parliamentary session where the vote takes place, but he wants to appear by videolink or write a speech and have it read by someone else.