Catalan election delay to 30 May challenged in court

The Catalan election delay was challenged in high court on Monday morning with three appeals. One of them was made by a Christian Democrat extra-parliamentary party Lliga Democràtica, who announced that it was taking the issue to the Catalan high court (TSJC) for considering the postponement “a suspension of democracy.”

For them, putting off the vote from 14 February to 30 May is “very serious” – the party has even called it “an unacceptable abuse of authority.” According to Lliga Democràtica, the fact that Catalonia is going through a pandemic and that the government is “absolutely divided” makes it more urgent to hold an early election.

TSJC announced that two parties had already challenged the delay, as well as an individual, who asked for “urgent measures” to suspend the government’s decree postponing the vote.

Socialists’ position

The Socialist party (PSC) was the only one against the general consensus reached on Friday to delay the vote until May 30 and it is yet to be known whether they will also take the issue to court. Soaring in the polls after changing presidential candidate and picking Spain’s health minister Salvador Illa, PSC was initially reluctant to delay the vote. Yet, on Thursday evening, they reconsidered their position, but only to accept a one-month postponement.

Meanwhile, the Catalan government, defending the need to wait until late spring, called on critics to be responsible in not challenging the decision. Interim president Pere Aragonès said on Monday that the cabinet’s lawyers gave the move the go-ahead, and complained about the Spanish government trying to “interfere.”

While the Socialist-led Spanish government avoided commenting on the delay on Friday and Monday, last Thursday its justice minister, Juan Carlos Campo, said it would be “serious for democracy” to put it off.