Independence parties in Catalonia on Friday nominated Quim Torra, a controversial political activist, to the regional presidency, in a last ditch effort to restore a government and avoid fresh elections in the crisis-hit autonomous community.

Mr Torra, who is expected to be inaugurated on Monday, vowed to restore self-governance to Catalonia and followed "the mandate" delivered in the banned October 1 independence referendum. But he was immediately forced to apologise over a past string of anti-Spanish tweets, as critics lined up to accuse him of "xenophobia" and "hatred".

The six-year-old tweets, deleted by Mr Torra but saved by other users, included claims that “the Spanish only know how to pillage”, and that the “fascism of the Spanish who live in Catalonia is infinitely pathetic and repulsive”.

Mr Torra, vice-president of the activist group Omnium Cultural - whose leader, Jordi Cuixart, has been in preventative prison since October - is the so-called “Plan D” candidate after three previous inauguration attempts were blocked by the Spanish courts.

He was handpicked by the deposed former president, Carles Puigdemont, regarded by secessionists as the rightful leader but currently in Germany facing extradition proceedings on rebellion charges. Mr Puigdemont is expected to retain a decision-making role from exile, and has reportedly barred Mr Torra from occupying his office in the Palace of the Generalitat - news seized upon by opponents as evidence he would be a mere “puppet”.