Catalonia Could Postpone Snap Parliamentary Vote Until May 30 Over COVID-19 - Party

Catalonia Could Postpone Snap Parliamentary Vote Until May 30 Over COVID-19 - Party

The Catalan authorities are considering postponing the snap parliamentary elections from February 14 until May 30, as the region's COVID-19 outbreak is still bad and movement restrictions are in effect, Socialists' Party leader Miquel Iceta said on Friday, citing Catalonia's acting president, Pere Aragones

MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2021) The Catalan authorities are considering postponing the snap parliamentary elections from February 14 until May 30, as the region's COVID-19 outbreak is still bad and movement restrictions are in effect, Socialists' Party leader Miquel Iceta said on Friday, citing Catalonia's acting president, Pere Aragones.

Aragones proposed postponing the elections at a meeting with local parliament members earlier on Friday, according to Iceta, who said that the Socialists' Party was the only one to vote against the proposal.

"We are against the postponement of the vote, especially if it get rescheduled for May 30," the party leader said following the meeting.

The final decision is expected to be made at a cabinet meeting later on Friday.

In September 2020, the Supreme Court of Spain disqualified former Catalan President Quim Torra from the office over violation of approved electoral practices during a 2019 general election. The Catalan parliament refused to chose a new government leader and was subsequently dismissed, which was why Catalonia had to schedule snap elections.

Over the past two weeks, the Catalan health authorities confirmed over 40,000 new COVID-19 cases and 58 deaths. The number of infections has reached 532 per 100,000 population, which is higher than Spain's overall average of 495 cases per 100,000 population.

Catalonia continues to remain under strict restrictions, such as a ban on movement between municipalities for non-essential reasons, a six-people limit of group gatherings, and a nighttime curfew. Non-food stores are closed on weekends and food and drink businesses limit their operations to only a few hours per day.