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Deposed Catalan President Reportedly Recording Roster of His Supporters

© Sputnik / Javier Luengo / Go to the mediabankBarcelona residents wait for the Parliament to announce the results of the referendum on the independence of Catalonia
Barcelona residents wait for the Parliament to announce the results of the referendum on the independence of Catalonia - Sputnik International
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Carles Puigdemont has taken a bold step after the interim crisis between the Spanish authorities and the former Catalan leaders in the wake of the recent Catalan independence declaration.

MADRID (Sputnik) — Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont has called for a single list of Catalan independence supporters for regional elections slated for December 21, explaining that the "time has come for all democrats to unite". He also called for the freedom "of political prisoners," as the newspaper El Mundo said.

Puigdemont, along with four former Catalan ministers, are currently staying in Belgium. He was compelled to flee to Brussels after the Spanish authorities invoked Article 155 of the Constitution that imposed direct rule over Catalonia, following the region's unilateral proclamation of independence.

Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont works on his speech at his desk inside the Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday Oct. 10, 2017, which is the seat of the Catalan government. - Sputnik International
Spanish Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Former Catalan Leader - Reports
On Friday, Belgian prosecutors confirmed obtaining a European arrest warrant for Puigdemont and four other ex-members of the Catalan government, issued by the Spanish court. A day before, a Spanish court ordered to put eight former members of the Catalan government into custody. They are accused of organizing an uprising and embezzling state funds. Puigdemont and other former Generalitat members are facing charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of state funds.

READ MORE: What Happens Next? Four Key Questions for Understanding Catalonia's Future

On October 27, the Catalan government adopted a resolution on the region's independence from Spain. The Spanish authorities, in response, dissolved the Catalan government and called a snap parliamentary election for December 21.

After the Catalan parliament voted in favor of secession from Spain last week following the contested independence referendum, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on the rebellious region, dissolved the parliament and removed Puigdemont and his Cabinet. However, the ousted Catalan leader refused to recognize the dismissal of the government and called for "democratic resistance" to direct rule by Madrid.

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