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Madrid to continue direct rule if Puigdemont re-elected
By EUobserver
The Spanish government will continue to directly rule the Catalan regional administration if the new Catalan parliament elects Carles Puigdemont as the region's president. Puigdemont, who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium, was leader until last October, when he was dismissed by Madrid over Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence. The new president of the regional government will be chosen on 31 January, by the parliament elected in December.