Catalonia's parliament elects separatist Aragones as new region president

The Catalan leader of the Republican Left Party (ERC) Pere Aragones poses after being elected as the new Catalan President at the Catalonian regional parliament in Barcelona, Spain, May 21, 2021. Alberto Estevez/Pool via REUTERS

Catalonia's parliament elected on Friday left-wing separatist Pere Aragones as the new head of the government of the northeastern Spanish region, endorsing his moderate and dialogue-driven strategy to seek independence.

Aragones, from Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya party, was backed by two other hard-line separatist parties, centre-right Junts and far-left CUP, receiving the support of 74 out of the 135 lawmakers three months after the region held an election.

He has agreed with Junts to form a coalition government. The pair have governed together Catalonia since 2016, but with Junts holding the presidency until now.

The Catalan leader of the Republican Left Party (ERC) Pere Aragones attends an investiture debate at the Catalonian regional parliament in Barcelona, Spain, May 21, 2021. Alberto Estevez/Pool via REUTERS

(Reporting by Joan Faus, editing by Inti Landauro)

The Catalan leader of the Republican Left Party (ERC) and new President of Catalonia Pere Aragones and ERC's president Oriol Junqueras embrace after the investiture at the Catalonian regional parliament in Barcelona, Spain May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

The Catalan leader of the Republican Left Party (ERC) Pere Aragones speaks during an investiture debate at the Catalonian regional parliament in Barcelona, Spain, May 21, 2021. Alberto Estevez/Pool via REUTERS