The Central Electoral Board bars Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí from standing in the European elections

The Central Electoral Board announced that it has agreed, following a complaint from the PP and Ciudadanos, to bar Carles Puigdemont, Antoni Comín and Clara Ponsatí from standing in the 26 May European elections as candidates for Junts per Catalunya – Lliures per Europa. The Central Electoral Board argues that even though they appear on the electoral roll, they cannot be candidates because it is well-known ‘that they are not residents of the municipalities where they are registered, but rather have been outside the national territory for two years to escape justice’. Four of the Central Electoral Board’s 16 members cast a dissenting vote against the decision to disqualify them. Since the deadline to announce the candidates ends on the 29th, JxCat presents lawyer Gonzalo Boye, former mayor of Barcelona Xavier Trias and TV pundit and former PSOE memberBeatriz Talegón as ‘temporary’ substitutes for Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí while they appeal the JEC’s decision.