Catalan's former leader Carles Puigdemont has ended his candidacy for a second term as president, dealing a blow to the region's independence movement.

Announcing he was provisionally withdrawing his candidacy, he said that decision "is founded in one reason only - under current conditions it's the way to get a new government under way".

Catalonia has been ruled by Madrid since October, when Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy used constitutional powers to take over, after the region's parliament declared independence in the wake of a referendum.

Pro-secession parties won a majority in elections across Catalonia that Mr Rajoy called in December after sacking Mr Puigdemont and the rest of the region's government. Mr Puigdemont had campaigned to be re-instated as the region's leader.

Mr Puigdemont is in self-imposed exile in Belgium, as he faces charges of sedition and rebellion in Spain, and he fears arrest should he return to Spain. His supporters say he could govern remotely, but the Spanish government has rejected the notion of him governing from Brussels.

Catalonia election: in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Catalonia election: in pictures Catalonia election: in pictures People react to results in Catalonia's regional elections at a gathering of the Catalan National Assembly REUTERS Catalonia election: in pictures Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and former Catalan Health Minister Antoni Comin, left, gesture during a press conference Rex Features Catalonia election: in pictures Center-right party Ciudadanos (Citizens) candidate Ines Arrimadas (C) and the rest of candidates and party members celebrate their polls results AFP/Getty Images Catalonia election: in pictures Suporters of Ciudadanos party celebrate the results EPA Catalonia election: in pictures Former Catalan regional minister Jordi Turull (C), candidate of Catalan pro-independence party Junts per Catalunya, and former Catalan regional minister Josep Rull, candidate of Junts per Catalunya celebrate the results Rex Features Catalonia election: in pictures Catalan independence supporters celebrate AP Catalonia election: in pictures Candidate of Ciudadanos party to the Catalan regional elections, Ines Arrimadas (C), next to the party leader, Albert Rivera (behind), delivers her speech as they celebrate the results EPA Catalonia election: in pictures Catalan independence supporters celebrate at the Catalan National Assembly headquarters after results of the regional elections in Barcelona AP Catalonia election: in pictures Junts Per Catalunya supporters celebrate following the Catalan regional election Getty Images

Mr Puigdemont said his party would propose a pro-secession campaigner, Jordi Sanchez - currently in remand in a Madrid prison on charges of sedition - as an alternative candidate. The nomination of Mr Sanchez is likely to be just as fraught with difficulty, given his circumstances. Mr Rajoy said that a Catalan leader “must be chosen now who is in Spain... and who has no problems with the law”.

Mr Puigdemont’s stepping aside came hours after the Catalan parliament voted to support him and his candidacy, and to reaffirm the result of the referendum.

The vote affirmed the parliament’s belief that Mr Puigdemont is the legitimate leader of Catalonia, and indicated that they believe it is important to form an effective government in the region.

“The honourable President Puigdemont has won enough support at the ballot box to be allowed to be voted in as president,” Quim Torra, a member of parliament, said.

But, the notice did not say how exactly the parliament might move forward to establishing a working government. Those efforts have been in a stalemate since at least December.