Catalonia's deposed leader Carles Puigdemont said last night/THU he had abandoned his bid to be reappointed regional president in an attempt to unblock a political impasse after weeks of tense negotiations between separatist parties.

"I will not put myself forward as candidate to be appointed regional president," Mr Puigdemont, who is in self-exile in Belgium and wanted in Spain for his role in the failed secession bid, said in a video posted on social media.

In a 13-minute video, Mr Puigdemont proposed that pro-independence campaigner Jordi Sanchez, currently held on remand in Madrid on charges of sedition, as an alternative candidate.

Catalonia has been ruled directly from Madrid for the last four months since Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy invoked constitutional powers to take over the region after it declared independence in October.

Earlier on Thursday, the Catalan parliament had voted to support Puigdemont and reaffirm the validity of a banned October 1 referendum on independence in a tense first session of parliament since elections in December.