Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont 'detained in Germany'

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, wanted on a Spanish arrest warrant, has been detained in Germany after entering the country from Denmark, his lawyer says.

Puigdemont has been in self-imposd exile in Brussels for the last five months but had travelled to Finland. He had left the country announcing a return to Belgium after fearing the Finns were on the point of executing a Spanish extradition demand for him.

Puigdemont is one of 25 Catalan politicians the Spanish Supreme Court decided on Friday to try for rebellion, misuse of public funds or disobeying the state.

Catalonia has been under direct rule from Madrid since the end of October, when Spain's prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, responded to the region's unilateral independence declaration by sacking Puigdemont and his government and calling a snap election.

This resulted in no majority, and with leaders detained or on the run, and no agreement between the Catalonian nationalist parties, a new electoral clock is ticking. If no new president can be nominated before the end of May, the constitution says Catalonia is heading for another elction, in mid-July.