Spanish police confirmed to multiple media outlets that Alejo Vidal-Quadras, former head of the Spanish People’s Party in the Catalonia region, was shot by an unidentified attacker in the face on Thursday in Madrid.

Vidal-Quadras was shot in the Salamanca area of central Madrid at around 1:30 local time on Thursday. Spanish police told Reuters that the attacker was riding a motorcycle and with a black helmet. However, they have not identified any apparent motive behind the attack. The Spanish national police will organize a further investigation in collaboration with Madrid police on the attack.

After the attack took place, Vidal-Quadras was transferred to a local hospital. According to the rescuers, a bullet had passed through his jaw, but the gunshot was not fatal and his condition had been stabilized.

The 78-year-old Vidal-Quadras came to power as the president of the People’s Party of Catalonia from 1991 and remained in power until 1996. He also served as the vice-president of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014. In 2014, he left the People’s Party and joined the far-right political party Vox, where he served as the provisional president from March to June 2014. He left the Vox Party in February 2015.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his concerns and best wishes for Vidal-Quadras and ordered a thorough investigation by the police. He wrote on social media platform X, “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.”