<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jailed-catalan-separatists-elected-to-parliament-in-spain-polls-214246">Catalan separatists</a> were released from jail on Monday to obtain their formal certificates as elected MPs the day before the Spanish parliament is to open in Madrid.

The four MPs and a senator, elected in April, arrived at the two chambers early Monday in military police vehicles. They were barred from speaking to reporters.

The five, who have been in custody for more than a year, will return to their cells at the Soto del Real prison near Madrid after carrying out the formality.

The Supreme Court, which has been trying the men for their role in an October 2017 secession attempt in Catalonia, ruled last week that they could also attend the opening session of parliament and take the oath of office on Tuesday.

But the court ruled against definitively releasing the five, who include the former vice president of the wealthy northeastern region, Oriol Junqueras.

And parliament is to decide whether to suspend their functions as lawmakers until the top court reaches a verdict on the rebellion charges against them.

Junqueras, 50, was elected an MP as a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). He faces 25 years in prison in Catalonia.

The others include civic leader Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, Catalonia's government spokesman at the time of the failed attempt to break from Spain.

Both were candidates for Together for Catalonia, the party of Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain and avoided arrest.

Josep Rull, also formerly part of Catalonia's regional government, was another elected to the lower house, while Raul Romeva, in charge of Catalonia's foreign affairs at the time of the secession bid, was elected to the upper house Senate.

They were all part of a push to hold an independence referendum in October 2017 in defiance of a court ban.

That sparked Spain's deepest political crisis in decades, with the referendum followed by a short-lived declaration of independence.

Spain's then conservative prime minister moved in, taking direct control of the region, sacking the Catalan executive and calling snap polls.

Spain's April elections saw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialists win but without the necessary majority to govern solo in a fragmented political landscape marked by the far right's entry into parliament.

As such, Sanchez could need the backing of Catalan separatist lawmakers like the five jailed politicians.

During the parliament's opening session, the five Catalan lawmakers will have to promise to honour the Spanish constitution which calls for the "unbreakable unity" of Spain.

Catalan separatists were released from jail on Monday to obtain their formal certificates as elected MPs the day before the Spanish parliament is to open in Madrid.

Catalan separatists were released from jail on Monday to obtain their formal certificates as elected MPs the day before the Spanish parliament is to open in Madrid. The four MPs and a senator, elected in April, arrived at the two chambers early Monday in military police vehicles. They were barred from speaking to reporters. The five, who have been in custody for more than a year, will return to their cells at the Soto del Real prison near Madrid after carrying out the formality. The Supreme Court, which has been trying the men for their role in an October 2017 secession attempt in Catalonia, ruled last week that they could also attend the opening session of parliament and take the oath of office on Tuesday. But the court ruled against definitively releasing the five, who include the former vice president of the wealthy northeastern region, Oriol Junqueras. And parliament is to decide whether to suspend their functions as lawmakers until the top court reaches a verdict on the rebellion charges against them. Junqueras, 50, was elected an MP as a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). He faces 25 years in prison in Catalonia. The others include civic leader Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, Catalonia's government spokesman at the time of the failed attempt to break from Spain. Both were candidates for Together for Catalonia, the party of Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain and avoided arrest. Josep Rull, also formerly part of Catalonia's regional government, was another elected to the lower house, while Raul Romeva, in charge of Catalonia's foreign affairs at the time of the secession bid, was elected to the upper house Senate. They were all part of a push to hold an independence referendum in October 2017 in defiance of a court ban. That sparked Spain's deepest political crisis in decades, with the referendum followed by a short-lived declaration of independence. Spain's then conservative prime minister moved in, taking direct control of the region, sacking the Catalan executive and calling snap polls. Spain's April elections saw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialists win but without the necessary majority to govern solo in a fragmented political landscape marked by the far right's entry into parliament. As such, Sanchez could need the backing of Catalan separatist lawmakers like the five jailed politicians. During the parliament's opening session, the five Catalan lawmakers will have to promise to honour the Spanish constitution which calls for the "unbreakable unity" of Spain.

Spain's Catalan separatists let out of jail for induction as MPs

Catalonia&#39;s fugitive separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was under pressure Sunday to return to Spain after the country&#39;s top court ruled he could not govern the region from abroad.

Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October after the Catalan parliament declared independence, would in the &quot;coming hours&quot; ask the Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament Tuesday on his bid to form a new government, a lawmaker with his Together for Catalonia party, Josep Rull, told Catalan radio.

The newly elected speaker of the Catalan parliament, Roger Torrent, last week named Puigdemont as the candidate to head the Catalan government after separatist parties again won an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament in a December regional election.

However, he faces arrest for rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his attempt to break Catalonia away from Spain as soon as he returns.

Puigdemont had said he could be sworn into office via video conference from Brussels, a plan Spain&#39;s central government opposes.

Puigdemont&#39;s supporters have said that he could rule from abroad by video link but has said he would rather return to Spain as long as he is given guarantees that he will not be arrested.

But Spain&#39;s Consitutional Court late Saturday ruled Puigdemont must return to the country and be present in the regional parliament to receive the authority to form a new government.

The court said that its 11 magistrates had decided unanimously &quot;to preventively suspend the investiture of Puigdemont unless he appears in the (regional) parliament in person with prior judicial authorisation&quot;.

It also warned all members of the Catalan parliament of &quot;their responsibilities&quot; and warned against disobeying the order to suspend any investiture.

The magistrates said they needed six more days to consider a government bid to annul the nomination of Puigdemont as a candidate for the regional presidency.

&nbsp;Puigdemont &#39;sacrificed&nbsp;

Catalonia&#39;s fugitive ex-president faced also faced pressure from the Catalan separatist camp to step aside in favour of another candidate to form a government.

&quot;It is essential to have a government, if president Puigdemont has to be sacrificed, we will have to sacrifice him,&quot; Joan Tarda, a top lawmaker for Catalan separatist party the Republican Left (ERC), said in an interview published Sunday in Catalan daily La Vanguardia.

&quot;We can&#39;t jeopardise our great election win on December 21. Carles Puigdemont, whether or not he is president of Catalonia in the coming years...will enter into the history books.&quot;

Top-selling daily newspaper El Pais also weighed in, writing in an editorial that if the separatists want to government &quot;they must renounce a candidate who is accused of serious crimes against the state and propose another.&quot;

Torrent, the speaker of the Catalan parliament, has not yet reacted in public to the Constitutional Court&#39;s ruling.

&nbsp;Arrests&nbsp;

Catalonia&#39;s independence declaration on October 27 was short-lived as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy moved to stop the crisis in a region deeply divided over secession.

Rajoy imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, sacked its government including Puigdemont, dissolved its parliament and called snap elections.

Several days later, separatist leaders were charged for their attempt to break from Spain via a banned independence referendum, but by then Puigdemont and several of his former ministers were already in Belgium.

Deposed vice president Oriol Junqueras, however, remained in Spain and was jailed along with others pending a probe into their role in the independence drive.

Carles asked Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament

Catalonia's fugitive separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was under pressure Sunday to return to Spain after the country's top court ruled he could not govern the region from abroad. Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October after the Catalan parliament declared independence, would in the "coming hours" ask the Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament Tuesday on his bid to form a new government, a lawmaker with his Together for Catalonia party, Josep Rull, told Catalan radio. The newly elected speaker of the Catalan parliament, Roger Torrent, last week named Puigdemont as the candidate to head the Catalan government after separatist parties again won an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament in a December regional election. However, he faces arrest for rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his attempt to break Catalonia away from Spain as soon as he returns. Puigdemont had said he could be sworn into office via video conference from Brussels, a plan Spain's central government opposes. Puigdemont's supporters have said that he could rule from abroad by video link but has said he would rather return to Spain as long as he is given guarantees that he will not be arrested. But Spain's Consitutional Court late Saturday ruled Puigdemont must return to the country and be present in the regional parliament to receive the authority to form a new government. The court said that its 11 magistrates had decided unanimously "to preventively suspend the investiture of Puigdemont unless he appears in the (regional) parliament in person with prior judicial authorisation". It also warned all members of the Catalan parliament of "their responsibilities" and warned against disobeying the order to suspend any investiture. The magistrates said they needed six more days to consider a government bid to annul the nomination of Puigdemont as a candidate for the regional presidency. Puigdemont 'sacrificed Catalonia's fugitive ex-president faced also faced pressure from the Catalan separatist camp to step aside in favour of another candidate to form a government. "It is essential to have a government, if president Puigdemont has to be sacrificed, we will have to sacrifice him," Joan Tarda, a top lawmaker for Catalan separatist party the Republican Left (ERC), said in an interview published Sunday in Catalan daily La Vanguardia. "We can't jeopardise our great election win on December 21. Carles Puigdemont, whether or not he is president of Catalonia in the coming years...will enter into the history books." Top-selling daily newspaper El Pais also weighed in, writing in an editorial that if the separatists want to government "they must renounce a candidate who is accused of serious crimes against the state and propose another." Torrent, the speaker of the Catalan parliament, has not yet reacted in public to the Constitutional Court's ruling. Arrests Catalonia's independence declaration on October 27 was short-lived as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy moved to stop the crisis in a region deeply divided over secession. Rajoy imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, sacked its government including Puigdemont, dissolved its parliament and called snap elections. Several days later, separatist leaders were charged for their attempt to break from Spain via a banned independence referendum, but by then Puigdemont and several of his former ministers were already in Belgium. Deposed vice president Oriol Junqueras, however, remained in Spain and was jailed along with others pending a probe into their role in the independence drive.

Court ruling pressures fugitive Catalan leader to return to Spain

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Spain's Catalan separatists let out of jail for induction as MPs

Court ruling pressures fugitive Catalan leader to return to Spain