Supreme Court rejects provisionally suspending the removal of pro-independence MP

The Spanish Supreme Court has decided against provisionally suspending the ruling by the Central Electoral Board (JEC) that led to pro-independence MP Pau Juvillà being removed from the Catalan parliament.

Juvillà, a member of the far-left CUP, was disqualified from public office for 6 months by the High Court in December for a case dating back to the 2019 municipal election period, when he failed to remove yellow ribbons (in support of jailed and exiled pro-independence figures) from CUP's office at Lleida city council.

The Catalan parliament eventually agreed to Juvillà's removal as a lawmaker on February 3 (backdated to January 28), due to a "legal obligation," parliament secretary general Esther Andreu said at the time.

Parliament speaker Laura Borràs of Junts per Catalunya had suggested suspending parliamentary activity over the matter, but backed down, saying that other pro-independence parties "did not want to take a collective step forward."

The Supreme Court reiterated on Tuesday that the decision taken by the JEC on January 20 declared that Juvillà's ineligibility to serve in public office stemmed from his conviction by the High Court in December to six months disqualification and a fine of €1,080 for disobedience.

The court said that Juvillà's claims in his request for provisional action were "generic" and they see no reason to change the criteria set in previous cases of ineligibility involving the JEC.

A final ruling on the High Court decision to disqualify Juvillà will be made by the Spanish Supreme Court in due course.