Jailed leader asks for post-electoral meeting with King Felipe

The lawyer of jailed leader and suspended Spanish MP Jordi Sànchez has asked the Supreme Court for “special permission” for him to leave prison to meet the king of Spain as part of the customary post-electoral talks that will take place between the monarch and party leaders at the Zarzuela palace.

The Junts per Catalunya politician who is currently facing trial for charges concerning the 2017 Catalan independence referendum was proposed by his party on May 28 to attend the talks. His party has also stated that they will not send a substitute to represent them if Sànchez is not allowed to attend the event with Felipe VI.

Sànchez was granted permission to leave prison on May 20 and 21 to to take up his seat in Congress following Spain’s general elections on April 28, but was suspended shortly thereafter by the Congress Bureau along with the other jailed MPs Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Rull and Jordi Turull.