Former Catalan politician shot in face in Madrid

The former head of Spain's centre-right People's Party in the Catalonia region was shot in the face in the Spanish capital Madrid on Thursday, police said. Alejo Vidal-Quadras was shot in the wealthy Salamanca area of central Madrid at about 1.30 p.m. and taken to hospital.

The former head of Spain's centre-right People's Party in the Catalonia region was shot in the face in the Spanish capital Madrid on Thursday, police said.

Alejo Vidal-Quadras was shot in the wealthy Salamanca area of central Madrid at about 1.30 p.m. and taken to hospital. Hospital authorities said his life was not in danger.

Police were hunting a gunman and an accomplice who drew up near Vidal-Quadras on a black Yamaha motorcycle, shot him, then drove off. Rescue workers said a bullet passed through Vidal-Quadras' jaw.

A torched motorcycle police believe was used in the attack was later found. No arrests have been made. Police told Reuters no motive had been established for the attack. Vidal-Quadras, 78, was a former head of the centre-right People's Party (PP) in Catalonia and a member of the far-right Vox party.

"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," Sanchez posted on social media. Italy's right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement Vidal-Quadras was the victim of a "cowardly attack" and wished him a speedy and full recovery, while condemning "an act of unacceptable violence, perpetrated against a political representative of an important European nation."

Shahin Gobadi, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said in a statement on Thursday: "Dr. Alejo-Vidal-Quadras has always supported the Iranian people's resistance for freedom and human rights during the past quarter of a century. "The virulent enmity of the clerical regime toward Alejo-Vidal-Quadras is common knowledge. He was among the first politicians the clerical regime placed on its terrorist list."