Lifting immunity for Catalan MEPs: “It’s a democratic parody”

  • European United Left co-leader Manon Aubry says the proposal sets a very serious precedent

VilaWeb
VilaWeb
24.02.2021 - 15:18
Actualització: 24.02.2021 - 16:18

Manon Aubry, co-leader of the European United Left (GUE/NGL), has harshly criticized via Twitter the fact that the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs has voted in favour of lifting the immunity of catalan MEPs Carles Puigdemont, Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí. “The proposal to eliminate the immunity of three Catalan deputies is a serious precedent: the European Parliament is proposing to hand over its deputies to the political persecution of a member state” she wrote. “This is not a sovereign assembly that guarantees the rule of law, but a democratic parody.”

Aubry, a member of France Insoumise, has assured that they will oppose the lifting of immunity at the European Parliament plenary in March. “Our group will clearly vote against withdrawing immunity”, she said. Aubry also voted against the proposal of the speaker of the Committee on Legal Affairs, the Bulgarian ultraconservative Angel Dzhambazki, which was finally approved. Aubry considers that the case for which Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí are being sued has a political dimension and that the trial in Spain will not be fair.

In addition, the co-leader of the GUE/NGL Group warns that if they are convicted, they will lose their status as MEPs “despite the votes of the Catalans”. “Spain has tried from the beginning to prevent them from occupying the seat”, Aubry added, justifying her opposition to the plea. In the run-up to the European Parliament, where a final decision will be made on the petition, the European United Left intends to vote against allowing the European orders against the three MEPs to be reactivated.

Sergei Lagodinsky, MEP for the German Green party, also showed his disagreement responding to a tweet by far-right Vox. He wrote: “The joy of far-right Vox party for the lifting of the immunity of my Catalan colleagues shows that I voted correctly (with the minority). I do not agree with Carles Puigdemont on many issues, but his processing is politicized and disproportionate!”.

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