Veteran Spanish right-wing politician Alejandro Vidal-Quadras has been taken to a hospital in Madrid after being shot in a street in the capital, police said on Thursday.
Detectives said he was shot in the face on a central street around 1.30pm local time and was conscious when taken to a hospital.
Mr Vidal-Quadras, 78, was a long-time member of Spain's conservative Popular Party, its regional leader in Catalonia, and a European Parliament member before he broke away to help found the far-right Vox party. He left Vox shortly after a failed attempt to win a European lawmaker seat in 2014.
Police are investigating the shooting and have cordoned off the area. No arrests have been made at this stage.
Acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez said following the shooting: "I want to convey my solidarity and wishes for a speedy recovery to Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
"All my affection at this time for him and his family. We trust that the investigation can clarify the facts as soon as possible and those responsible will be arrested."
Vox President Santiago Abascal said he believed Mr Vidal-Quadras' life was not in immediate danger.
"Thank God it seems that Alejandro Vidal-Quadras is out of danger," Mr Abascal said.
Popular Party President Alberto Núñez Feijóo deplored the shooting and wished for his recovery.
The leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, said he understood that Vidal-Quadras was "out of danger" in hospital.
The shooting comes after Mr Sanchez's government agreed a deal with Catalan separatist Junts party.
Socialist lawmaker and party official Santos Cerdan announced the deal on Thursday after sealing the agreement with the party led by Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium after leading the failed 2017 independence attempt for Catalonia.
He added that the deal included an amnesty bill for people involved in the northeastern region of Catalonia's failed bid for independence from Madrid, covering events between 2012 and 2023.
Mr Sanchez and his Socialist Party (PSOE) have been trying to form a government after a July election produced no outright winner.
He reached a deal to govern in coalition with the hard left Sumar platform last month but also needs several other smaller parties - who have supported him in the past - to back him in an investiture vote that could take place as soon as next week.
Junts has said during negotiations that it would give its seven votes in parliament in exchange for an amnesty law that could exculpate as many as 1,400 activists and politicians involved in a failed attempt to separate Catalonia from the rest of Spain that reached a head in 2017.
