Ska Keller, the German co-president of Greens/EFA in the European Parliament and one of the European Green Party's two Spitzenkandidaten for this week's election, has argued this Monday that the Catalan prisoners who have been elected to Spain's Congress and Senate should be able to exercise their political rights. Before taking part in an event with the party En Comú Podem in Castelldefels, just south of Barcelona, Keller said that Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sànchez, Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Raül Romeva should be able to "continue with their political roles".
"We defend everyone's political rights, and this situation cannot be solved by means of the courts", said Keller, who called for dialogue between the Spanish and Catalan governments instead: "I believe that the key to solve the conflict is political dialogue, to reach an agreement, and to not do so through the courts". Alongside En Comú Podem's leading candidate for the European election, Ernest Urtasun, she said that her party disagrees with the charge of rebellion faced by the imprisoned deputies and called for the trial to conclude as soon as possible.
Asked whether the possible presence of Junqueras and Carles Puigdemont in the next European Parliament could contribute to bringing about this dialogue, Keller said it wouldn't be a determining factor, and that what's needed is "political will" from both sides.