Spanish Court bars Catalan MEP from taking up

Spain’s Supreme Court has denied jailed pro-independence leader Oriol Junqueras permission to leave prison in order to take the necessary steps in Madrid that will allow him to take up his seat as an MEP. All MEP-elects are expected to attend Spain’s congress on June 17 in order to swear an oath to the constitution, a step that some claim is mandatory to officially become a member of the EU parliament.