Catalonia delays vote on a new president

Catalan parliament President Roger Torrent has adjourned the session to invest a new regional president. It was scheduled to be held this Tuesday afternoon. Former President Carles Puigdemont, who was the candidate, continues in Belgium as a fugitive of the Spanish Justice since he fled the country after proclaiming independence. Last Saturday, Spanish Constitutional Court ruled that Puigdemont can't take part in the voting session from Belgium. If he wishes to become president, he must return to Spain and obtain a judiciary authorization. 

With his decision, Torrent chooses not to disobey the court's resolution. Still, he assures Puigdemont keeps on as the only option for pro-secession parties, which hold the majority in the chamber. Consequently, he will not designate another candidate. The voting has not been canceled, but postponed, he said, until Puigdemont can be chosen "with all the guarantees".

Torrent has accused the Spanish government of not accepting the result of the regional election, in which nationalists kept a majority, although they didn't reach 50% of the ballots. 

Now, secessionist parties should choose if they appoint a new candidate or prolong this no-president situation, in which the Spanish government remains as the de facto government of the region since last October when Prime Minister Rajoy implemented the article 155 of the Constitution.