Deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont | Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images Carles Puigdemont to stay in Belgium until after Catalan elections Ousted Catalonian leader is fighting extradition back to Spain.

Catalonia’s former president, Carles Puigdemont, will remain in Belgium until after the Catalan parliamentary elections on December 21, his lawyer told AFP Saturday.

The ousted Catalonian leader kicked off his campaign for regional elections from Belgium in November. He is in the country fighting extradition back to Spain where he is wanted on charges of rebellion and sedition.

The Catalan region is holding elections after Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dissolved the Catalan parliament and fired Puigdemont for his role in the independence referendum outlawed by Madrid. Puigdemont then fled to Belgium with four of his ministers.

Meanwhile in Spain, a Spanish Supreme Court judge is expected to rule on Monday whether or not to set free 10 separatist leaders who were imprisoned pending a probe into what role they played in Catalonia’s independence drive, Reuters reported on Saturday.