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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Spanish Court Suspends Catalan Parliament’s Independence Vote

Spain's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended  the ousted Catalan parliament's vote to declare independence from Spain as it continues to study the legal questions the declaration raised.

(CN) - Spain's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended  the ousted Catalan parliament's vote to declare independence from Spain as it continues to study the legal questions the declaration raised.

The vote, which was taken Friday, passed by 70 votes to 10 in the 135-seat Catalan parliament. Lawmakers opposed to independence bid walked out on the vote and turn to the court to appeal their colleague's decision.

Spain's constitution says the country is "indissoluble," and the nation's top court has consistently ruled against any attempt to move toward Catalan secession.

Meanwhile, ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, who is currently in Brussels, said Tuesday he would return home immediately if a fair judicial process were guaranteed in Spain.

Spain's chief prosecutor has announced he is seeking charges of rebellion, sedition, embezzlement and similar offenses against leaders of the Catalan independence movement including Puigdemont.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday, Puigdemont said he would stay there, "as long we consider it (necessary). The situation is developing every day. Here we have better guarantees for our rights here and we can meet our obligations from here.

"If they can guarantee to all of us, and to me in particular, a just, independent process, with the separation of powers that we have in the majority of European nations — if they guarantee that, we would return immediately," he said.

Categories / Government, International, Politics

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