Supreme Court Upholds Suspension of 'Grandchildren's Law' Voting Rights for 163,020 People
Spain's Supreme Court ruled on October 12 to uphold the precautionary suspension of voting rights for people who obtained Spanish nationality under the "grandchildren's law," the Democratic Memory Law provision for descendants of exiles. The Fourth Section of the Contentious-Administrative Chamber rejected the appeal filed by the State Legal Service, with one dissenting vote, that of Magistrate Alicia Millán.
The Prosecutor's Office and the Government had argued that executing the suspension is impossible in the time available: there is no way to distinguish which of the 163,020 affected overseas voters actually meet the law's requirements. The chamber replied that this situation is the Government's own responsibility, as it had not provided the breakdown the court requested, and held that genuine descendants of exiles are not left defenceless, since they can prove their status at consulates.
The ruling lands in the middle of the electoral census consultation period, October 12 to 19; the definitive census is due on October 23.
The case, brought by the association Iustitia Europa, now moves to challenges against the ruling itself, and the affected voters' organisations say the fight will continue before the Constitutional Court. (Source: Supreme Court of Spain)
Source: Supreme Court of Spain
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：西班牙海外选民邮寄投票（资料图）。Wikimedia Commons 开放授权。 / Photo: Postal voting by Spaniards abroad (file photo). Wikimedia Commons, open license.
