The speaker of Catalonia’s parliament has proposed former regional leader Carles Puigdemont as candidate to form a government, despite his status as a fugitive from Spanish justice.

Mr Puigdemont arrived in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Monday to talk at a university there and meet Danish politicians.

It is his first trip outside Belgium since he left Spain dodging a judicial investigation into an illegal, and unsuccessful, independence declaration in late October.

Spain’s state prosecutor is seeking his arrest in Denmark. A Spanish judge is yet to rule on the European warrant.

Catalan parliament speaker Roger Torrent said that Mr Puigdemont is the only candidate with enough backing to attempt a government following regional elections last month.

Mr Torrent said he has asked Spain’s prime minister Mariano Rajoy to meet and talk about the “abnormal situation” in Catalonia.