Government calls bar on Puigdemont standing for Brussels 'shameful'

"Shameful" and an "attack on democracy" is how the government spokeswoman described the decision by Spain's electoral authority to ban former president Carles Puigdemont and his former ministers, Toni Comín and Clara Ponsatí, from standing in the European elections.

The authority announced its decision on Monday, after the People's Party and Ciutadans unionist parties filed an appeal with the body that objected to the trio running in the election in May from Belgium, where they sought refuge from the Spanish judiciary.

"It is a defrauding of democracy, perpetrated by a state body," said presidency minister Meritxell Budó after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, and who went on to urge the Spanish authorities to return to the "rule of law."

The pro-independence far-left CUP party also reacted to the decision, with spokeswoman Maria Sirvent calling on "democratic groups" to come together to discuss a potential boycott of the European elections.

However, Ciutadans welcomed the decision, with party spokesman Carlos Carrizosa calling it "logical" that "a fugitive from justice should not be allowed to stand for an election and earn money from an institution."