BARCELONA: Catalo­nia’s new parliament elec­ted a pro-secession speaker, thus virtually guaranteeing that the chamber’s push for independence for Spain’s north-eastern region will continue as its lawmakers prepare to elect a new government.

Wednesday’s opening session of the new Catalan assembly came amid looming questions about the role that fugitive and jailed politicians will play in the chamber’s separatist majority and the future regional government.

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October dodging a Spanish judicial probe over a foiled secession attempt, wants to be reinstated to his old job. But he faces arrest if he returns to Spain and legal hurdles if he wants to be voted in from abroad by the regional assembly.

Puigdemont’s and other empty seats in the parliament were adorned with a yellow ribbon, in remembrance of the four ex-Cabinet members sought by Spain’s Supreme Court who are also in Brussels and three more elected lawmakers including former Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras jailed on provisional charges of rebellion or sedition.

Other former Cabinet members and parliamentary officials have been released from jail, but remain under investigation.

Spanish central authorities took direct control of the north-eastern region following the unilateral declaration of independence by separatist lawmakers on Oct 27.

Under special powers, Spain fired Puigdemont’s government, dissolved parliament and forced a new regional election on Dec 21 in the hope of halting the secession drive.

But separatists regained their slim parliamentary majority despite receiving less than half of the votes. In a first for Catalonia, Ciutadans (Citizens), a party that fiercely opposes independence was the most voted and gained the most seats.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2018