The Catalan president's biography is dominated by the quest for regional independence. But the former journalist is world-savvy and conversant in English, French and Romanian.
Stubborn but "honest and resilient," with childhood memories of Spain's Franco dictatorship until 1975, is how biographer Carles Porta characterizes Puigdemont.
The baker's son from the mountain village of Amer - about 100 kilometers (61 miles) from Barcelona - "learned to be a fighter" when sent to boarding school aged just nine, writes Porta.
Passionate about Catalonia and its heritage, he joined a nationalist Catalan party in his late teens.
Aged 21, Puigdemont survived a serious traffic accident in 1983, leaving him with facial scars covered by a hairstyle that still draws remarks, even in his own Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT).
It is a fate shared with Mariano Rajoy, his arch-rival and Spanish prime minister. Rajoy has car accident scars under his beard; Puigdemont has forehead scars under the fringe of his brown mop of hair.
By the early 80s, Puigdemont had studied the Catalan language and history and rose from sub-editor to chief editor of the nationalist newspaper El Punt Avui.
He also founded a Catalan news agency and an English-language newspaper on the region as well as publishing several books and essays.
His journalism was combined with activism for the PDeCAT's forerunner party.
"He has a great flair for showmanship and knows how to use the media," said political analyst Anto Losada.
Catalonia's independence movement — a brief history
The desire of many Catalans to gain independence from Spain has a long history. The region has experienced varying levels of autonomy and repression over the centuries.
Image: picture-alliance/Prisma Archivo
Rich ancient heritage
Catalonia has been settled by the Phoenicians, the Etruscans and the Greeks, who were mainly in the coastal areas of Rosas and Empuries (above). Then came the Romans, who built more settlements and infrastructure. Catalonia remained a part of the Roman Empire until it was conquered by the Visigoths in the fifth century.
Image: Caos30
Counties and independence
Catalonia was conquered by Arabs in 711 AD. The Frankish king Charlemagne stopped their advance at Tours on the Loire River and, by 759, the north of Catalonia was once again Christian. In 1137, the counties that made up Catalonia entered an alliance with the Crown of Aragon.
Image: picture-alliance/Prisma Archiv
Autonomy and the war of succession
In the 13th century, the institutions of Catalan self-administration were created under the banner of the Generalitat de Catalunya. After the unification of the Crown of Aragon with that of Castile in 1476, Aragon was largely able to keep its autonomic institutions. However, the Catalan revolt — from 1640 to 1659 — saw parts of Catalonia ceded to present-day France.
Image: picture-alliance/Prisma Archivo
Remembrance of defeat
After the conquest of Barcelona on September 11, 1714, by the Bourbon King Phillip V, Catalan instuitutions were dissolved and self-administration came to an end. Every year, on September 11, Catalans commemorate the end of their right to autonomy.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/L. Gene
Federal ideas in wider republic
After the abdication of King Amadeo I of Spain, the first Spanish Republic was declared in February 1873. It lasted barely a year. The supporters of the Republic were split – one group supporting the idea of a centralized republic, the others wanting a federal system. Pictured here is Francisco Pi i Maragall, a supporter of federalism and one of five presidents of the short-lived republic.
Image: picture-alliance/Prisma Archivo
Failed attempt
Catalonia sought to establish a new state within the Spanish republic, but this only served to exacerbate the differences between republicans, ultimately dividing and weakening them. In 1874, the monarchy and the House of Bourbon (led by King Alfonso XII, pictured here) took the helm.
Image: picture-alliance/Quagga Illustrations
Catalan Republic
Between 1923 — with the support of the monarchy, the army and the church — General Primo de Rivera declared a dictatorship. Catalonia became a center of opposition and resistance. After the end of the dictatorship, the politician Francesc Macia (pictured here) successfully pressed for important rights of autonomy for Catalonia.
The end of freedom
In the Second Spanish Republic, Catalan lawmakers worked on the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia. This was approved by the Spanish parliament in 1932. Francesc Macia was elected president of the Generalitat of Catalonia by the Catalan parliament. However, the victory of Franco at the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936 to 1939) put an end to all that.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Loss of liberties
The Franco regime ruled with an iron rod. Political parties were banned and the Catalan language and culture were surpressed.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
New autonomy by statute
After the first parliamentary elections that followed the end of the Franco dictatorship, the Generalitat of Catalonia was provisionally restored. Under the democratic Spanish constitution of 1978, Catalonia was given a new Statute of Autonomy just a year later.
The new Statute of Autonomy recognized the autonomy of Catalonia and the importance of the Catalan language. In comparison to the 1932 statute, it was enhanced in the fields of culture and education but curtailed when it came to the realm of justice. Pictured here is Jordi Pujol, the long-time head of the government of Catalonia after the dictatorship.
Image: Jose Gayarre
Stronger self-awareness
A desire for independence has grown stronger in recent years. In 2006, Catalonia was given a new statute that broadened the Catalan government's powers. However, it lost these after a complaint by the conservative Popular Party to the Constitutional Court of Spain.
Image: Reuters/A.Gea
First referendum
A referendum on independence was already envisaged for November 9, 2014. The first question was "Do you want Catalonia to become a state?" In the case of an affirmative answer, the second question was posed: "Do you want this state to be independent?" However, the Constitutional Court suspended the vote.
Image: Reuters/G. Nacarino
Clash of the titans
Since January 2016, Carles Puigdemont has been president of the Catalan government. He proceeded with the separatist course of his predecessor Artur Mas and called the new referendum for October 1, 2017. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed this as unconstitutional.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Lago
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Slovenian struggle
Puigdemont visited Slovenia in 1991, just after it had declared independence from former Yugoslavia – after a banned referendum and brief armed conflict.
His wife, Marcela Topor, comes from Romania, and Puigdemont is fluent in the language. The couple has two daughters.
Mayor of Girona
By 2001 Puigdemont had become the mayor of Girona, not far from his home village of Amer, and a regional parliamentarian.
In 2015, Mayor Puigdemont became chairman of an association of municipalities that favored Catalan secession from Spain.
Replacement leader
In January 2016, still largely unknown in Spain, Puigdemont replaced the-then Catalan independence advocate Artus Mas as regional president.
Mas had become deeply unpopular with far-left separatists for austerity measures during Spain's severe economic crisis.
On inauguration day, Puigdemont said: "This is no time for cowards."
"I know we are launching a process that is neither easy nor comfortable, Puigdemont added.
More than 90 percent of those who voted favored independence, but turnout reached just 43 percent of the Catalan electorate in a ballot that fell short of electoral standards.
Puigdemont has said he is not afraid of going to jail over independence, while calling for EU mediation, which Rajoy has rejected.
Catalonia votes on independence - in pictures
Spanish police clashed with protesters in Catalonia during the banned referendum on the region's independence. Despite Madrid's efforts to shut down voting, most of the polling stations reportedly remained open.
Image: Getty Images/D. Ramos
Police 'forced' to use violence
Security forces used batons and fired rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Many were injured. "We were forced to do what we did not wish to do," said Spanish government delegate to Catalonia, Enric Millo. "Puigdemont and his team are solely responsible" for the violence, he added.
Image: Getty Images/D. Ramos
Comparing Rajoy to Franco
Supporters of an independent Catalonia have long accused the central government of denying the will of the people. At this Barcelona rally ahead of the Sunday vote, one of the protesters holds up a picture of late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco kissing the current Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
Image: Reuters/J. Medina
Face to face
Anti-independence protesters also took to the streets of Barcelona to show their support for a united Spain. In this photo from Saturday, one of them is shouting at a member of the Catalan regional police force, called Mosso d'Esquadra.
Image: Reuters/S. Vera
Stocking up on ballot boxes
Ahead of the referendum, activists distributed voting material and paraphernalia despite the government ban. The Catalan authorities in Barcelona said that the vote would be legally binding.
Image: Reuters/A. Gea
Viva Espana
Rajoy's government has rejected the independence referendum as unconstitutional and pledged to shut down voting. Many opponents of Catalan separatism gathered in Madrid on Sunday, chanting "Viva Espana" and "Catalonia is Spain."
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Soriano
Waiting for daybreak
Spanish authorities deployed thousands of extra police to the region. They received orders to prevent voting and seize ballot boxes. Security forces patrolled the polling stations in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/X. Bonilla
Keeping polls open
Activists decided to camp out at the polling stations in case police tried to shut the venues down.
Image: Reuters/J. Nazca
Separatist leader manages to vote
Reports of violence started coming in early on Sunday. Scuffles broke out near the city of Girona, where Catalan regional leader Carles Puigdemont was due to cast his ballot. The police raided the polling station, forcing Puigdemont to vote at a different location.
Image: Reuters/Handout Catalan Government
Barcelona raid
Pro-independence protesters tried to prevent the police from confiscating ballots and ballot boxes. Catalan officials say that, despite Madrid's efforts, 73 percent of about 6,000 polling stations were open on Sunday.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Barrena
Give them flowers
Pro-independence activists were instructed to "practice passive resistance" while attempting to delay the security forces from disrupting the vote. The movement supplied their protesters with red carnations to give to the officers. However, police reported they were also pelted with stones.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/L. Gene
Battling for ballots
On Sunday morning, Catalan officials said people could also use ballots they printed at home, and vote at any open polling station if their designated booth was closed.
Image: Reuters/Y. Herman
'Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state?'
While a June poll indicated that a majority of Catalans would be in favor of remaining within Spain, it also showed that independence supporters were far more likely to vote on a referendum. Madrid's crackdown is sure to fan the flames of the independence movement.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Lago
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Living in exile
Puigdemont had been living in exile in Belgium, before traveling to Finland on Thursday to meet with lawmakers from the Nordic country. He was detained in Germany on Sunday on his way back to Belgium.
The ex-Catalan president is being sought by Spain on charges of "rebellion" and "sedition" and has a European warrant against him.