A Madrid court has decided that, in the end, former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and his ministers Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí do have the right to stand as candidates in the 26th May European election. This ends the block to them standing implemented by the Central Electoral Commission.
Yesterday, the Spanish Supreme Court said it saw "no cause for [their] ineligibility", but handed the case back to the lower court, believing it didn't fall within their jurisdiction to decide, urging their colleagues to resolve the matter "immediately".
Specifically, the ninth administrative disputes court has ordered the Central Electoral Commission to replace Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí on the list of candidates for Lliures per Europa in the election. They should also therefore remove their provisional substitutes: Gonzalo Boye, Xavier Trias and Bea Talegón.
Obeying the Supreme Court
The court says that although the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over the matter, "at the same time it determined that this court should conclude in accordance with [their] reasoning", namely by finding them eligible to stand as candidates. As such, the judge finds he has no choice in the matter and has to rule as instructed by the Supreme Court.
The court finds the three have the right to "form part, as candidates, of the party Lliures per Europa (Junts) for the 2019 European Parliament election" and "orders the Central Electoral Commission to carry out the publication of the candidacy" including their names.
Today's ruling is from Madrid's administrative disputes court nine, following an appeal by Puigdemont and Ponsatí. Still open are appeals from Comín with court two and one presented by the party to court twenty-one.
Response
Enhorabona @KRLS @ClaraPonsati @toni_comin . Moltíssimes gràcies @boye_g @BeatrizTalegon @xaviertrias . I endavant, sempre endavant.
— Quim Torra i Pla (@QuimTorraiPla) 6 de mayo de 2019
Among the first to respond to the decision was Puigdemont's successor as president of Catalonia, Quim Torra. He tweeted: "Congratulations Carles Puigdemont, Clara Ponsatí, Toni Comín. Many thanks Gonzalo Boye, Bea Talegón, Xavier Trias. And forwards, ever forwards".