Former Catalan President and leader of Junts per Catalunya, Carles Puigdemont, has announced that he has "embarked on the journey back" to his homeland, seven years after taking refuge in exile in Belgium (October 2017). Puigdemont himself announced it via social media, in a video in Catalan, explaining that he intends to participate in the investiture of the President of the Generalitat, the socialist Salvador Illa, scheduled for tomorrow. "The Parliament of Catalonia has summoned all deputies to the debate on the investiture of the next President of the Generalitat. I must be there and I want to be there. This is why I have embarked on the journey back from exile," Puigdemont said. The Spanish media predict that he will be arrested once he sets foot on national territory. Puigdemont's return could trigger a political earthquake in Spain: Junts per Catalunya supports Pedro Sanchez's government and has already threatened to withdraw its support if the independence leader ends up behind bars.
