In the end, none of the pro-independence leaders in the trial were found guilty of rebellion by Spain's Supreme Court. The consequences of that charge having been brought, however, were wide-ranging. As such, now judge Pablo Llarena has dropped the charge of rebellion against president Carles Puigdemont, as he starts the third attempt for his extradition, he has also had to lift his suspension as a member of the Catalan Parliament. Following that decision, the president has asked the chamber to restore him to his rights as a delegate.
On 10th July last year, prisoners Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sànchez, Raül Romeva, Jordi Turull and Josep Rull, as well as Puigdemont himself were suspended from their seats. Toni Comín was never suspended because of a pending appeal. In reaction, the deputies from ERC used their right to be substituted, a source of tension between the governing parties. After others resigned in favour of taking seats in the Congress in Madrid after April's general election, only Puigdemont, Romeva and Comín remained members of the Catalan Parliament.
The chamber today received the notification that Puigdemont's suspension has been lifted. If he is formally restored to his seat, he regains rights like that of delegating his vote, as well as his right to claim his parliamentary salary. JxCat sources tell El Nacional that it also gives Puigdemont the possibility of being restored as president, but that for the moment they don't want to pursue something that could be a source of even greater tension with ERC.
Protesting today
Earlier today, the president joined a protest, including a number of MEPs, outside the European Parliament following yesterday's decision by Spain's Supreme Court to sentence members of his former government to between nine and 13 years in prison for charges including sedition.
He also took part in a protest organised in front of the European Commission's building in Brussels.