Catalonia MPs to vote on new leader on Saturday in 5th attempt to form govt

Catalonia’s parliament is expected to vote to approve a new leader of the region on Saturday. This will be the fifth attempt to form a government since the last administration was fired by Madrid nearly seven months ago for declaring independence. Former leader Carles Puigdemont, now living in Germany, put forward little-known Catalan member of parliament Quim Torra as the new candidate in a televised address published on social networks late on Thursday. The speaker of the Catalan parliament Roger Torrent said in a statement on Friday that he had proposed Torra as a candidate for regional president after consulting with political parties, Reuters said. All four previous candidates proposed by the pro-independence movement were blocked by the courts because they are either living abroad or being held in custody for their role in a referendum on independence.