Constitutional Court rules coronavirus parliamentary suspension “unconstitutional”

The Constitutional Court has ruled that the first suspension of parliamentary activity in the Congress of Deputies due to the coronavirus pandemic was unconstitutional, stating it violated the rights of members of the parliament.

Voting six in favour and four against the legal motion presented by Vox, the decision is the second ruling from the court against the Governments actions.

The ruling centered on the temporary suspension of legislative business whilst the pandemic took hold in the middle of March 2020.

In their summing up, they said that the suspection of parliamentary debates “interupted the operation of the Congress of Deputies [PDF]“.

President of Congress, Meritxell Batet, said she respected the ruling, yet disputed the interpretation of the suspension, saying that Parliament did not close, and the legislative process was only delayed, not stopped.