Court rejects Puigdemont's first appeal over European parliament seat 

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has rejected former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont's first appeal in the case over his seat in the European Parliament. 

According to the court's notification, which the Catalan News Agency (ACN) has had access to, the Strasbourg court rejected the appeal on July 7. 

Puigdemont and former minister Toni Comín had filed a claim against Spain because the Central Electoral Commission had refused to include the exiled politicians in its list of MEPs. 

The ECtHR concluded that the potential violation of their political rights has already been "remedied," as Spain's Constitutional Court has recognized Puigdemont and Comín as MEPs. 

"The claimant has already obtained recognition of any alleged violation and appropriate redress at the domestic level and, therefore, can no longer claim to be the victim of a violation of the convention or protocols," Judge Peeter Roosma said. 

Puigdemont has a whole series of legal cases both in the Spanish courts and in the courts of the European Union. 

The EU Court of Justice has to evaluate the case of his parliamentary immunity, which could trigger an extradition process. 

He has no other pending cases at the ECtHR, as confirmed by sources at the court and in his defense team. 

Kingmaker 

Puigdemont has lived in exile in Belgium since the aftermath of the Catalan independence referendum of 2017.

The party he founded, Junts, has found itself in the position of kingmaker in the Spanish congress, with a decisive say over whether or not Pedro Sánchez will be reelected prime minister after July's inconclusive general election.  

Puigdemont has called for an amnesty as a stepping stone to start talks. Listen to the podcast below to find out more.