Catalonia's former leader Carles Puigdemont, who was sacked by Madrid over his attempt to break from Spain, said Friday he can govern the region from Belgium as he eyes a comeback after scoring big in elections.

"There are only two options: in prison I would not be able to address people, write, meet people... The only way is to continue doing it freely and safely," Puigdemont, who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium and risks arrest if he returns to Spain, told Catalunya Radio.