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[POLITICS] · Spain · 30 sources

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Spanish Supreme Court suspends voting rights for certain 'grandchildren law' naturalized citizens

The Spanish Supreme Court has issued a precautionary ruling to suspend the electoral rights of certain individuals who obtained Spanish nationality through the Democratic Memory Law, commonly known as the ‘grandchildren law’. The suspension specifically targets those whose nationality was granted based on an administrative interpretation of the law rather than through documented proof of exile due to political, ideological, religious, or sexual identity reasons.

The ruling, prompted by legal challenges from the organizations Vox and Iustitia Europa, affects registrations in the Census of Absent Residents (CERA). While the decision does not revoke the nationality itself, it prevents these individuals from exercising their right to vote until a final sentence is reached. The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Electoral Board (JEC) to request detailed reports from the Electoral Census Office and consular registries to distinguish between those who meet the strict legal requirements of exile and those who benefited from broader administrative instructions.

The decision has intensified political tensions in Spain. Minister of Justice Félix Bolaños described the ruling as ‘very debatable legally’, while other government officials have criticized the move as an attempt to undermine democratic rights. Conversely, the legal challenge argued that the previous administrative interpretation posed a risk to the transparency and objectivity of the electoral process.

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Central Electoral Board · Democratic Memory Law · Félix Bolaños · Iustitia Europa · Spanish Supreme Court · Supreme Court of Spain · Vox

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