A Spanish judge has withdrawn an arrest warrant for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont.

The politician is in Belgium, where he faces prosecution on charges of declaring the unilateral independence referendum, BBC reported.

Catalan leaders might face trial on charges of separatism and disobedience to the legitimate government, said Spanish Supreme Court judge Pablo Llareno.

Pablo Llareno announced the warrant's withdrawal on Tuesday morning, citing the willingness the Catalan leaders had shown to return ahead of elections being held on December.

Ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont surrendered to the Belgian authorities and was released  on his own recognizance in November.

Spanish authorities removed Puigdemont and his colleagues from power after the unilateral independence referendum in Catalonia on October 1. Either Madrid or Brussels did not recognize the referendum.