Joaquim ‘Quim’ Torra, the president of Catalonia, has to give up his seat in the regional parliament of the Spanish electoral council, Spanish media report Friday.
According to, among other things El Mundo and El País Torra is forced by the Spanish Electoral Council to give up its position because last year it refused to remove a political banner from a Catalan government building.
Torra was found guilty of administrative disobedience last month due to his refusal by a judge. As a punishment he was not allowed to hold public office for eighteen months, although he remained as regional president because he was still allowed to appeal. He is now forbidden by the Spanish electoral commission.
The fact that he has to give up his seat in the regional parliament also means that he cannot remain a president of Catalonia. According to Spanish law, that position can only be held by a serving parliamentarian.
Torra succeeded Carles Puigdemont in May 2018 as regional president of Catalonia. Puigdemont was removed from office by the Spanish government in October 2017 after he had declared independence from Catalonia.
Like Puigdemont, Torra is an advocate of Catalan independence. The Electoral Council also stipulated that Oriol Junqueras, also a separatist, must return his seat to the European Parliament.
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