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May 10, 2018 / 8:49 PM

Catalan leader nominates political newcomer for president

Catalan presidential candidate Quim Torra stands next to members of the media at a prison in Neumuenster, Germany, where former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was held on March 26. Photo by Srdjan Suki/ EPA-EFE

Catalan presidential candidate Quim Torra stands next to members of the media at a prison in Neumuenster, Germany, where former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was held on March 26. Photo by Srdjan Suki/ EPA-EFE

May 10 (UPI) -- Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont on Thursday proposed a new leader to head the autonomous Spanish region.

Puigdemont nominated Quim Torra for the Catalan presidency. Torra is a political newcomer who comes from Puigdemont's pro-independence party, Together for Catalonia.

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"Our group proposes member of parliament Quim Torra to be president of the Catalan government so he can take on this responsibility in the next few days and so that a government can be formed immediately," Puigdemont said, according to the Financial Times.

Puigdemont fled Spain in October after the Spanish government charged him with rebellion for leading a pro-independence referendum.

Other leaders of the Together for Catalonia Party also face charges of rebellion. But Torra does not, which could help the Catalan government ease tensions with the Spanish government and facilitate upcoming elections in the region.

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