Dismissed Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont | Olivier Hoslet/EFE via EPA Puigdemont: I’m still Catalan president Ousted regional leader says he could only stop being president under certain circumstances, including death.

Carles Puigdemont insisted Wednesday that he is still Catalonia’s real president despite being ousted by Madrid because of his independence push.

“I can only [legally] stop being president if these circumstances happen,” he told pro-independence news outlet El Punt Avui, referring to death, losing a vote of confidence, or if he were unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. “We have the duty to continue with the legality that was given to us as a result of the September 27 election” in 2015.

Puigdemont was speaking from Brussels, where he arrived days after the Spanish government imposed direct rule over his region following the Catalan parliament’s vote to declare independence.

A Spanish court issued a European Arrest Warrant for him on charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds related to the parliament’s vote and an October 1 independence referendum.

Puigdemont also said Wednesday that his family members have faced harassment in Spain, and that the relatives of other former Catalan government leaders have received death threats.

Former members of his Cabinet have been jailed without bail pending trial.

Puigdemont also said Wednesday that Madrid’s move to implement direct rule was “not legal.”