The lower chamber of Spain's Parliament has suspended four Catalan separatist politicians from their recently gained positions as national lawmakers because they are currently in jail during an ongoing trial for rebellion and other charges.

Speaker Meritxell Batet says that the governing body of the Congress of Deputies ruled on Friday to suspend the former Vice President of the Catalonia region, Oriol Junqueras, and three more pro-independence leaders in line with the country's criminal code.

The four politicians, and a fifth who won a seat in the Senate, were elected last month. Spain's Supreme Court granted them permission earlier this week to attend the opening parliamentary sessions of the new legislative term, escorted by police.

Junqueras is also a candidate for the European Parliament in elections that take place on Sunday in Spain. </s> Spain's parliament on Friday suspended four Catalan politicians currently on trial at the Supreme Court for their alleged participation separatist referendum back in 2017 from taking their seats in the national parliament.

The speaker of the country's lower chamber, the Congress of Deputies, Socialist Party (PSOE) member Meritxell Batet, told reporters the decision had been made by the speaker's committee following consultations with Parliament and the Supreme Court.

Batet acknowledged that parliament was faced with an "unprecedented" situation and that the committee had acted to safeguard legislative power and guarantee the rights of parliamentarians.

"The speaker's committee of the Congress of Deputies has agreed to automatically suspend from their positions and therefore their rights and duties established in the rules of the chamber the right honorable members Mr. Oriol Junqueras i Vies, Mr. Josep Rull i Andreu, Mr. Jordi Sánchez i Picanyol and Mr. Jordi Turull i Negre," Batet said.

Junqueras, the former regional vice president of Catalonia, who is facing hefty charges of rebellion and sedition, was in the general elections of Apr. 28 elected to represent the party he leads, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), while Rull, Sánchez and Turull, were voted into the Madrid-based national parliament as MPs for Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia, JxCat).

On Tuesday, all four were briefly released from preventative prison in Madrid to take their seats in Parliament in what turned out to be a controversial session peppered with protests from mainstream parties opposed to the decision to include the detainees.

JxCat, the party of self-exiled former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont, also welcomed a new senator, Raül Romeva.

As well as handling the suspension of the Catalan lawmakers, the committee had to analyze what effects removing four MPs from the 350-seat chamber would have on the absolute majority threshold.

Of the nine members of the speaker's committee charged with making a decision on the four Catalan separatist MPs, only two members of the left-wing Unidas Podemos (United We Can, in English) asked for more time.

"We made our disagreement clear, accepting the decision the committee took on a majority basis," Irene Montero, the party's parliamentary spokesperson, told the press.

The conservative Popular Party and Ciudadanos (Citizens, in English) welcomed the decision but lamented the fact the lawmakers had been allowed to take their oaths in the first place.

Ana Pastor, a former speaker who is now a member of the committee for the PP, said 48 hours had been wasted.

JxCat said it would petition for the decision to be re-evaluated.

The lawmakers in question are among the 12 Catalan separatists leaders currently on trial for charges ranging from rebellion and sedition to misuse of public funds related to their alleged activities promoting and facilitating an illegal independence referendum in Catalonia and unilaterally declaring independence back in October 2017.

The Catalan crisis, which had been simmering for years, exploded in 2017 with the events that led up to the Oct. 1 referendum on the prosperous region's secession from the rest of the country, which was deemed unconstitutional by the judiciary.

As a consequence of the disputed vote and the regional government's subsequent unilateral declaration of independence, Madrid triggered a constitutional article that stripped the devolved region from its autonomy, deposed then-Catalan President Puigdemont and called new regional elections.EFE-EPA </s> Spain's parliament has suspended four Catalan lawmakers elected while facing trial over their role in the failed 2017 push for independence.

In a move that could benefit acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the four men – who are being held in custody – will no longer be parliamentarians.

Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Jordi Sanchez now need to either vacate their seats in parliament, or resign.

Sanchez's Socialists came out on top in last month's general elections, but failed to secure a majority in the assembly.

The suspension could reduce the threshold of an absolute majority that he needs in Congress, or in the lower house, to be sworn in for a second term.

If the lawmakers cede their seats to replacements, Sanchez would once again need the help of Catalan separatist parties to be sworn in.

An investiture vote is expected in the first week of July. </s> Five Catalan political leaders who are on trial for rebellion are scheduled to attend the Spanish parliament on Tuesday for the inauguration of the new legislature, amid uncertainty over whether they will be allowed to take part in parliamentary activity.

Oriol Junqueras, Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Jordi Sànchez won seats in Congress in last month’s general election, despite being in jail and on trial in the supreme court. Fellow pro-independence politician Raül Romeva, who is also behind bars and on trial, was elected to the Senate. All five are due to be escorted from the prison where they are being held in Madrid to attend parliament’s opening session.

On Monday, the trial was suspended as the five men picked up their parliamentary credentials from the upper and lower houses. Their trial is due to resume on Wednesday.

“Today we have been able to leave Soto del Real prison thanks to your votes so that we can collect our credentials,” Mr Junqueras, former vice-president of Catalonia and currently leader of the Catalan Republic Left (ERC), said in a brief video posted on Twitter. “Your votes have freed us.”

Mr Romeva also represents ERC, while Messrs Rull, Turull and Sànchez won seats for Together for Catalonia (JxCat). None of them was allowed to address the media or meet privately with colleagues during their visit, which was closely controlled by police.

JxCat spokeswoman Laura Borràs described the restrictions on the jailed parliamentarians as “scandalous”.

All five are facing charges of violent rebellion and sedition for their alleged roles in Catalonia’s failed bid for independence in 2017, and could face lengthy jail sentences if found guilty. The trial began in February and is expected to end next month, although a verdict is unlikely before the summer.

Macarena Olona, a newly elected member of Congress for the far-right Vox party, which is one of the plaintiffs in the supreme court trial, decried the fact that the jailed Catalan leaders had been allowed to appear in parliament. She described their visit as “a failure of the rule of law that means five criminals have managed to get into public institutions in order to destroy Spain”.

ERC made gains in last month’s election, securing 15 seats in Congress and it could potentially be key in allowing the Socialists of prime minister Pedro Sánchez to form a new government after they emerged as winners but fell short of a majority.

However, although the jailed politicians are allowed to attend today’s session, the ability of the four members of Congress to take part in parliamentary business appears to be in the hands of the lower house’s presiding council.

Both the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the Ciudadanos party have called for the presiding council to prevent the four from being able to take up their seats. If that were to happen and the suspended politicians did not delegate their seats, the change in parliamentary arithmetic could make the securing of a majority marginally easier. </s> The Spanish parliament suspended on Friday the lawmaker rights of the four jailed Catalan members of parliament while they face trial over the region's failed 2017 independence bid.

The ruling socialist party PSOE, the conservative Popular Party and the centrists of Ciudadanos voted in favour of the decision, while left-wing Podemos voted against.

The announcement was made by lower House speaker Meritxell Batet on behalf of the parliament's governing body.

Catalonia's regional vice president Oriol Junqueras, who is among the jailed MPs, immediately denounced the move.

"We have been suspended in Spain but they can not do this in Europe," Junqueras wrote on Twitter with reference to ongoing EU elections.

"A political prisoner entering the European Parliament is the best way to denounce the repression of the Spanish State," Junqueras continued.

It was not immediately clear what would happen to the seats as it's up to the four lawmakers to decide if they want to leave them empty for now or if they would rather resign and pass the position to a fellow politician.

If the seats are left empty, the total number of lawmakers would drop which, in a deeply fragmented parliament, may work in favour of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who could then be reelected without the backing of the Catalans.

Oriol Junqueras and fellow separatists Josep Rull, Jordi Turull and Jordi Sànchez won seats during Spain's April 2019 general election. Raül Romeva, meanwhile, won a seat in Spain's senate.

They are currently being held in prison, awaiting trial on rebellion, sedition and embezzlement charges. It is linked to their role in the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, which Madrid later declared illegal.

In an unprecedented move on Monday, five Catalan leaders were allowed out of prison on Tuesday to be sworn in at the opening of the Spanish Parliament.

But the Spanish Supreme Court recommended to the parliament's governing body to suspend the jailed MPs during their detention. Under Parliamentary rules, any member placed in temporary detention is automatically suspended. </s> Madrid: Spain’s parliament suspended on Friday the mandates of four Catalan lawmakers who were elected while in custody and on trial over their role in the failed 2017 separatist bid.

 The expected move could reduce the threshold of an absolute majority that acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez needs in the congress, or lower house, to be sworn in for a second term.

 His Socialists came top in a general election last month but failed to secure a majority in the assembly.

 However, if the four lawmakers cede their seats to replacements, Sanchez would once again need the help of Catalan separatist parties to be sworn in during an investiture vote expected in the first week of July. The mandates of Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Jordi Sanchez were automatically suspended because they are being held in custody while on trial in the Supreme Court, parliament speaker Meritxell Batet told a news conference. She said she had asked for a report to clarify what the threshold for an absolute majority will be in this case.

 The four men have been charged with rebellion for organising a banned independence referendum which was followed by a short-lived declaration of independence, sparking Spain’s worst political crisis in decades.

 The first three have also been charged with embezzlement of public money to stage the referendum, which was marred by a violent police crackdown.

 Catalan senator Raul Romeva, who is also on trial for rebellion and embezzlement, was expected to be suspended later by the Senate, parliament’s upper house. — AFP </s> Five jailed Catalan politicians were allowed to attend the opening of Spain’s Congress of Deputies opening session in Madrid on May 21. MPs Josep Rull, Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Turull, and Senator Raül Romeva swore to uphold the constitution of Spain. Junqueras qualified the oath by adding, “as a political prisoner and by legal obligation.” The court’s authorities were due to decide whether the men would be suspended from further participation, "according to reports. Credit: Canal Parlamento via Storyful </s> The lower chamber of Spain's parliament on Friday suspended Oriol Junqueras and three colleagues from their recently gained seats as national lawmakers because they are currently in jail during an ongoing trial in Spain's Supreme Court.

They face up to 25 years in prison for rebellion charges that stem from a banned referendum and an independence declaration made by the separatist-controlled Catalan government in late 2017.

But Junqueras is also running for the European Parliament in elections that take place on Sunday, and polls say that he and his former boss, Carles Puigdemont, who unlike Junqueras fled the country to avoid arrest, have a chance of being elected.

Even so, the Catalan separatists face several legal hurdles to be sworn in as European lawmakers.

"The sole fact that a European lawmaker and a candidate to the presidency of the European Commission is a political prisoner of one of the European Union's member states is a very powerful message in favour of democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms not only in Catalonia but in all Europe," Junqueras told The Associated Press on Friday.

The Spanish government has repeatedly rejected the term "political prisoner" to refer to the prosecuted Catalan separatists, pointing out that they were jailed by independent courts according to legal provisions in the country.

The government also often reiterates that political parties openly advocating for secession are legal in the country, but the only way to achieve independence for a region like northeastern Catalonia is by reforming the country's 1978 constitution, which currently prohibits the secession of a region unless all Spaniards vote on it.

Junqueras spoke via video conference from a jail on the outskirts of Madrid shortly before the widely expected announcement that he would be suspended as a Spanish lawmaker.

Speaker Meritxell Batet announced that the governing body of the Congress of Deputies had ruled for the suspension in line with the country's criminal code, which bans those indicted for rebellion or terrorism-related charges and in preventive custody from holding public office.

The ruling also applies to Josep Rull, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, with the four belonging to Puigdemont's conservative JxCat party. Spain's Supreme Court granted them permission earlier this week to attend — escorted by police — the opening parliamentary sessions of the new legislative term.

The four politicians as well as Raul Romeva — who won a seat in the Senate — were elected last month in the vote that saw caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist party win the most seats but fall well short of a majority.

Junqueras, the 50-year-old former vice-president of the Catalan regional government, who was previously a European lawmaker between 2009 and 2012, told AP that Friday's suspension in Spain doesn't affect him because he was planning to give up his seat anyway: members of the European Parliament can't hold certain public offices in their home countries.

Junqueras is the lead candidate in the European elections of Ahora Republicans, a coalition of a Catalan and other small regionalist parties in Spain.

Junqueras said he hopes Spain's Supreme Court will allow him to travel to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, for the opening session in July.

"For me, it will be a pleasure to return to the European Parliament," he said, because that would allow him rejoin former colleagues in the bloc's assembly and "explain to them firsthand the deep injustice that innocent people are in prison."

While Junqueras said that if his attempt to become a European lawmaker is blocked he will appeal it in court, Puigdemont faces even greater potential challenges to join him in the continental legislature.

According to an internal report by the European Parliament's legal services that the AP has had access to, Puigdemont would have to return to Spain to be officially included in the list of its elected European lawmakers and thereby face arrest.

Despite the chaos caused by the Brexit referendum in the U.K., Junqueras is not wavering in his belief that the solution to the Catalan question is a regional vote on independence.

Election results and polls indicate that the 7.5 million residents of the Catalonia region are roughly split down the middle by the secession question. </s> Spain's parliament on Friday suspended the mandates of four Catalan lawmakers who were elected while in custody and remain on trial over their role in the region's failed 2017 separatist bid.

If the four lawmakers refuse to cede their seats then the move could reduce the threshold of an absolute majority that acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez needs in the congress, or lower house, to be sworn in for a second term.

However, if the four hand over their parliamentary mandates to like-minded replacements, Sanchez would still need the help of Catalan separatist parties to be sworn in during an investiture vote expected in the first week of July.

His Socialists came top in a general election last month but failed to secure a majority in the assembly.

The mandates of Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Jordi Sanchez were automatically suspended because they are being held in custody while on trial in the Supreme Court, parliament speaker Meritxell Batet told a news conference.

She said she had asked for a report to clarify what the threshold for an absolute majority will be in this case.

The four men have been charged with rebellion for organising a banned independence referendum which was followed by a short-lived declaration of independence, sparking Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

The first three have also been charged with embezzlement of public money to stage the referendum, which was marred by a violent police crackdown.

Catalan senator Raul Romeva, who is also on trial for rebellion and embezzlement, was expected to be suspended later by the Senate, parliament's upper house.

The Supreme Court allowed the five Catalan leaders to temporarily leave jail on Tuesday to be sworn in along with other newly-elected lawmakers.

They are among 12 Catalan leaders to go on trial since February, with a ruling in the highly sensitive proceedings expected during the second half of the year.

Junqueras, a former Catalan vice-president who heads the separatist ERC party, is the lead candidate in Sunday's European Parliament election for a European regionalist party that defends the right to self-determination, the European Free Alliance.

His rival, former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont who fled to Belgium after the failed independence declaration, will also stand in the European elections as the leading candidate for his Junts per Catalunya (JxCat), the other main separatist party.

The two hope to use their positions in the European Parliament to denounce what they consider to be Madrid's heavy-handed repression.

"We have been suspended in Spain but they can't do it in Europe!," Junqueras tweeted.

"A political prisoner entering the European Parliament is the best way to denounce the repression of the Spanish State."

Conservative parties, including upstart far-right party Vox which won seats in parliament for the first time last month, accuse Sanchez and his left-wing allies of preparing to make concessions to the separatists in exchange for support in parliament.

Sanchez argues he is only seeking dialogue with the separatists in the hope of defusing the Catalan crisis.

A poll published on May 10 by the Catalan government's CEO survey institute showed that slightly more Catalans were against independence than were in favour -- the first time that has been the case since June 2017.
The Board of the Congress of Deputies suspends Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Oriol Junqueras and Jordi Sànchez Catalan leaders elected lawmakers due to they judicial situation.