New Judicial Defeat for Carles Puigdemont

Another Blow for Carles Puigdemont. The Constitutional Court has dismissed his latest appeal against the arrest warrant issued by Judge Pablo Llarena. The body rejected the appeal by two votes to one. The decision comes amid PSOE's negotiations with Junts for Pedro Sánchez's investiture.

It should be remembered that the investigating judge of the procés case changed Puigdemont's arrest warrant but agreed to prosecute him for disobedience and embezzlement. Last June, the Supreme Court's Appeals Chamber confirmed the decision. This affects both the former president and former councilor Toni Comín.

It was then that both filed an appeal for protection with the Constitutional Court, which now overturns their procedure. A majority of the judges do not see a violation of essential rights that justifies the appeal.

No Immunity

This is a new blow for Carles Puigdemont, who relied entirely on the judicial battle for his strategy. The General Court of the European Union (GCEU) recently withdrew the immunity he enjoyed as a parliamentarian. The decision will have to be confirmed or overturned by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

The Prosecutor's Office requested last June the reactivation of the international arrest and extradition warrant for the fugitive former president. It did so just hours after the July 23 elections. Just when Junts had become the key to Pedro Sánchez's investiture.

Judge Llarena rejected the Prosecutor's Office's request. The investigating judge will wait for the CJEU to rule before reactivating the European arrest warrant, thus indicating that the times of justice do not necessarily coincide with those of politics. Now the Constitutional Court has dealt another heavy blow to the former president sheltered in Waterloo.

Controversial Decision

The Constitutional Court's decision is generating much controversy, as it occurred in the middle of August and on the eve of the investiture debate. The decision was made in the Constitutional Court's Vacation Chamber. A chamber of circumstances, where there was a majority of conservative judges.

Several media outlets have been quick to label the rejection of the appeal as a blow by conservative judges. They accuse them of taking advantage of the chamber being on vacation to influence the investiture.