Carles Puigdemont, the ousted president of Catalonia who defied the Spanish state by declaring his region’s independence, has fled Spain to Brussels, fuelling speculation that he may seek political asylum in Belgium.

Sources from the Catalan government, which has been formally removed from power by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, told The Telegraph that Mr Puigdemont had travelled to the Belgian capital on Monday, reportedly accompanied by five colleagues from his former administration.

On Monday all 14 members of Mr Puigdemont’s ousted executive were accused by Spain’s chief prosecutor of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for organising an illegal referendum in Catalonia before declaring independence.

Six members of the speaker’s committee at the Catalan parliament face the same accusations for pushing ahead with illegal procedures ahead of last Friday’s proclamation of an independent Catalan republic.