Nationalists regained control of Catalonia's regional government as a new cabinet was sworn in, automatically ending just over seven months of direct rule from Madrid by Spain's central government.

The cabinet led by Quim Torra, a close aide to former Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont, took over on the day Socialist Pedro Sanchez, who has said he wants talks on Catalonia but opposes any independence referendum, was officially sworn in as new Spanish prime minister.

His predecessor, the conservative Mariano Rajoy, imposed direct rule over Catalonia at the end of October after nationalists, led by Puigdemont. held an independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts.

According to the Spanish constitution, direct rule from Madrid was due to end the moment a new regional government was put in place in Barcelona.

According to the extraordinary powers granted to Spain's central government by the Senate, the large degree of self-rule enjoyed by the region would be returned once it formed a government after a new election.

It took several tense months, after snap regional elections were held in December, for Catalan nationalists to get a new cabinet approved by the regional parliament and go past Madrid's moves to block any candidate in self-imposed exile or in jail.

Members of Catalonia's former government are to be tried on charges including rebellion. Others, including Puigdemont, fled the country as fugitives.

The former Catalan leader is currently in Germany, where he is the subject of attempts by state prosecutors there to have him extradited to Spain.</s>German prosecutors have applied for the extradition of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain, where he has been accused of rebellion and corruption.

State prosecutors on Friday said they made the formal request for extradition at the upper regional court of the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Puigdemont was arrested as he entered Germany on a Spanish-issued warrant in late March.

The former Catalan president fled Spain for Belgium in October after his administration's declaration of independence from Spain led to the central government in Madrid taking direct control of the regional government.

He is wanted in Spain for alleged misuse of public funds in relation to Catalonia's independence declaration, as well as "rebellion" in organising a referendum that Madrid deemed illegal.

In April, the Schleswig-Holstein court ruled that Puigdemont could not be extradited for rebellion, because the comparable German treason charge requires the defendant to have committed violence.

But last month, prosecutors said they had received new video evidence showing violence against Spanish police which made extradition on the charge possible.

"The material delivered by the Spanish authorities is not contradictory, but clearly shows that the violence in Catalonia on election day can be attributed to the wanted individual," prosecutors said in a statement.

The court will make the final decision on whether Puigdemont will be returned to Spain.

Puigdemont has denied his charges.

Madrid's takeover of Catalonia is set to end on Saturday when a new regional government will be sworn in.</s>Germany's federal prosecutors said Friday they have filed a formal request to extradite deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain, where he faces charges of rebellion and corruption.

"The material delivered by the Spanish authorities is not contradictory, but clearly shows that the violence in Catalonia on election day can be attributed to the wanted individual," prosecutors said in a statement, defending the controversial rebellion charge.

A final decision on whether Puigdemont would be sent back to Spain would still have to come from the court.

Puigdemont was detained in Germany in late March on a European arrest warrant from Spain for his role in Catalonia's failed independence bid last October.

He had been living in self-exile in Belgium since then but was travelling through Germany when he was arrested.

Madrid wants Puigdemont to return to Spain so he can face trial for alleged rebellion, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years.

A court in Schleswig-Holstein had released him on bail on April 6 after finding that he could not be extradited for rebellion -- which is not punishable under German law.

The court argued that the closest legal equivalent, high treason, did not apply because Puigdemont's actions were not accompanied by violence.

Following the federal prosecutors' formal application for Puigdemont's extradition, the court will now have to examine whether to approve his return to Spain.

Even if judges again reject the rebellion charge, Puigdemont could still be sent home to be tried for the embezzlement of public funds, a lesser charge related to the cost of staging the Catalan referendum.

With his legal woes preventing him from being re-appointed president of Catalonia, Puigdemont last month anointed a handpicked successor, helping the region to come closer to ending the crisis.

On Tuesday, Catalonia's separatist president named an administration without detained or exiled former ministers, paving the way for Madrid to end its direct rule over the northeastern region.</s>BERLIN, June 1 (Reuters) - German prosecutors have formally applied to a higher regional court for the extradition of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on charges linked to his role in the campaign for the Catalonia region's independence, they said on Friday.

It is now up to the higher regional court in Schleswig-Holstein to decide on the extradition, although it is unclear when any ruling will come.

Puigdemont was arrested in March on a Spanish-issued arrest warrant as he entered Germany, after first leaving Spain for Belgium. Spain sacked the Catalan regional government led by Puigdemont after a declaration of independence that followed a banned secession referendum on Oct. 1.

It has blocked any attempts at independence in the courts, citing the constitution which says Spain is indivisible.

Earlier on Friday, Socialist Pedro Sanchez took over as Spain's prime minister, succeeding Mariano Rajoy who lost a vote of confidence in parliament.

The new government may seek dialogue but is unlikely to reverse Madrid's stance toward Puigdemont, whose situation depends on courts rather than politicians.

The German court has released Puigdemont on bail and last month it rejected a further application from prosecutors to put him in custody.

Prosecutors made that request alongside a decision to challenge an earlier ruling rejecting extradition on the charge of rebellion after receiving new information from Spanish authorities including videos showing violence against police.

However, the court has said extradition might be possible on the lesser charge of misuse of public funds. (Reporting by Hans-Edzard Busemann and Julien Toyer in Madrid Writing by Madeline Chambers Editing by Catherine Evans)</s>German prosecutors are making a new request to have former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont taken into custody pending an extradition ruling.

A court in northern Germany had allowed Puigdemont, Catalonia's former regional president, to leave jail on bail shortly after he was detained March 25 at Spain's request.

Schleswig prosecutors said in a statement Friday that they believe Puigdemont poses a flight risk while extradition proceedings to Spain are ongoing.

Prosecutors also said they will continue to press for Puigdemont to be extradited on charges of rebellion and misuse of funds. The charges stem from an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

Prosecutors say the charges have equivalents in German law, though the regional court in Schleswig has questioned whether the rebellion charge is applicable.</s>BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors are making a new request to have former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont taken into custody pending an extradition ruling.

A court in northern Germany had allowed Puigdemont, Catalonia's former regional president, to leave jail on bail shortly after he was detained March 25 at Spain's request.

Schleswig prosecutors said in a statement Friday that they believe Puigdemont poses a flight risk while extradition proceedings to Spain are ongoing.

FILE - In this April 18, 2018 file photo, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont attends a meeting with lawmakers of his party, Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia), in Berlin, Germany. A German court on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 rejected a request from prosecutors to take former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont back into custody pending a decision on whether he is extradited to Spain. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn,file)

Prosecutors also said they will continue to press for Puigdemont to be extradited on charges of rebellion and misuse of funds. The charges stem from an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

Prosecutors say the charges have equivalents in German law, though the regional court in Schleswig has questioned whether the rebellion charge is applicable.</s>BERLIN (AP) — German prosecutors made a fresh request Friday to have former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont taken into custody pending a ruling on his extradition to Spain.

A court in northern Germany had allowed Puigdemont, Catalonia's former regional president, to leave jail on bail shortly after he was detained March 25 at Spain's request.

Spanish authorities have charged him with rebellion and misuse of funds in connection with an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

Schleswig prosecutors said in a statement that they believe Puigdemont poses a flight risk and asked the regional court reimpose extradition detention.

Prosecutors also said they will continue to press for Puigdemont to be extradited on both the misuse of funds and the rebellion charges, arguing that violence which followed the independence vote could be attributed to Puigdemont's decision to press for the vote.

The Schleswig regional court had earlier questioned whether the rebellion charge is applicable.

"Furthermore, there are no hurdles to extradition," prosecutors said, adding that the case against Puigdemont didn't amount to political persecution.

In a separate statement, the court said it was examining the prosecutors' latest submission but couldn't confirm whether judges would make a ruling before the end of June.</s>BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors have formally applied to a higher regional court for the extradition of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on charges linked to his role in the campaign for the region’s independence, they said on Friday.

It is now up to the higher regional court in Schleswig-Holstein to decide on the extradition.</s>German state prosecutors have made a formal request for former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to be extradited to Spain.

The request at the upper regional court of the state of Schleswig-Holstein on Friday stated that the public prosecutors held the request from Madrid to be admissible.

Puigdemont was arrested in March in Germany on the way back by road from an appearance in Finland, based on Madrid's extradition request on charges of rebellion after he went ahead with an independence referendum in Catalonia in October that Madrid deemed unconstitutional.

The court had previously ruled that the extradition on the basis of rebellion was not permissible, because the comparable German charge of treason stipulates that the defendant must have committed violence.

The prosecution said last month it had received new evidence, namely videos showing violence against Spanish police.

The riots depicted "were on such a scale" that Puigdemont should be extradited on charges of rebellion, the prosecutors said.</s>German prosecutors again apply for Catalan separatist Puigdemont to be returned to custody, back extradition to Spain.
Federal prosecutors in Germany apply in a Schleswig-Holstein court for the extradition of Carles Puigdemont to Spain, arguing that the treason charges are valid according to German law, because, according to the prosecutors, "the violence in Catalonia on election day can be attributed to the wanted individual".