The Central Electoral Board declares that Puigdemont, Junqueras and Comín are not MEPs

The Central Electoral Board holds a ceremony for MEP-elects to declare allegiance to the Constitution. The Central Electoral Board does not accept Carles Puigdemont and Antoni Comín’s remote declarations of allegiance, made through reprensentatives. The Central Electoral Board sends the European Parliament the list of MEPs elected in Spain without including them or Oriol Junqueras, whom the Supreme Court has not allowed to attend the ceremony. Furthermore, two members of the Central Electoral Board (Andrés Betancor and Antonio Jesús Fonseca-Herrero) issue separate votes because they believe that the declaration of ERC MEP Diana Riba also should not have been accepted, as she included the phrases ‘for the right to self-determination’ and ‘for the freedom of the political prisoners and the return of the exiles’. On 20 June, the Central Electoral Board declares Junqueras, Puigdemont and Comín’s seats vacant and informs the European Parliament that they have not become MEPs. Puigdemont and Comín will appeal the decisions of the Central Electoral Board before the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court and, when it upholds these decisions in June 2020, they will appeal for protection before the Constitutional Court. On 22 July, the Central Electoral Board will also refuse to allow to Junqueras to declare allegiance remotely. Junqueras also appeals before the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court and, when the decision of the Central Electoral Board is confirmed in March 2021, before the Constitutional Court.