Spanish Supreme Court to decide on ban to Puigdemont standing in EU election

The Supreme Court will decide on the ban to exiled Catalan president Carles Puigdemont standing in the European election on May 26. Following the veto by the electoral authority over his bid, his candidacy, Junts per Catalunya, challenged the decision before a local Madrid court.

The prosecutor of this court sided with Puigdemont, while the judges decided on Saturday morning to transfer the issue to Spain’s Supreme Court. Thus it will be the same institution accusing Puigdemont of rebellion and declaring him ‘in absentia’ the one which will decide whether he and two more exiled leaders will be able to run for MEP.

At the same time, eight of the 13 members of the electoral authority who have the right to vote in their meetings are also judges in the Supreme Court.

Basic right

The electoral authority argued that Puigdemont and his former ministers Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí are not eligible to vote, while they said they are in the electoral register.

According to the prosecutor, not letting them take part in Junts per Catalunya’s candidacy would infringe their “basic right” to stand in an election.