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Oriol Junqueras during the first session of Parliament during which he was sworn in after his election in the last European election, on May 21, 2019. Pablo Blazquez / Reuters

The European Parliament, shaken by the Spanish heartbreak over Catalonia, this Friday, January 10, withdrew its mandate from MEP to the independentist Oriol Junqueras, imprisoned in Spain since the 2017 secession attempt.

With our correspondent in Brussels, Laxmi Lota

Oriol Junqueras' party said it was " outraged ". The Republican Left of Catalonia wants to seize the court of the European Union.

Oriol Junqueras had been elected during the last European election, at the end of May: " his mandate ended with effect on January 3, 2020 ", indicates the President of the Parliament, the Italian David Sassoli.

The independentist was sentenced to 13 years in prison in October for sedition. However, on December 19, the EU Court of Justice agreed with him , saying that as an MEP he had immunity "as soon as the election results were announced ".

This decision to withdraw his mandate from an elected official has drawn criticism from other MEPs: " The recent judgment of the European Court of Justice, the rule of law and democracy are trampled on in embarrassed silence ", denounces the Frenchwoman the radical left, Manon Aubry.

Oriol Junqueras' seat will therefore remain empty during the first session of Parliament for this new year, next Monday.

► Read also: Spanish justice does not recognize Oriol Junqueras as MEP