Catalan Lawmakers Confirm Mandate For Regional Government Head Torra

MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th January, 2020) The parliament of Spain's Catalonia passed a resolution confirming the mandate for Quim Torra, the head of the regional government and a regional lawmaker, who was ousted from office by the Spanish electoral commission.

In December, Catalonia's High Court of Justice barred Torra from holding elected office for 18 months over accusations of disobedience related to his failure to remove pro-independence symbols from government buildings during an election campaign in spring. On Friday, the Spanish electoral commission ruled to remove Torra's mandate. Torra protested the decision and said he would appeal it in the supreme court.

The resolution against the electoral commission's decision was backed by 67 lawmakers from three pro-independence parties in the 135-seat parliament. Twenty-one parliamentarians voted against the document, while six lawmakers abstained.

The resolution called the electoral commission's actions a government overthrow, explaining that it contravened public will.

The document also demanded that the Spanish central authorities remove arrest warrants for former Catalan government head Carles Puigdemont, who played a significant role in the 2017 unauthorized independence referendum, and release Catalan officials, who were detained over their involvement in the vote.

The parliament session was accompanied by a rally, held by Torra's supporters outside the parliament building.