Spain’s electoral commission barred former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont as well as  two other Catalan separatists from running in the European Parliament elections in May, AP reported.

The conservative Popular Party, which complained to the Electoral Board about the secessionists’ plans to stand, and the Together for Catalonia grouping of separatists, which presented the three as candidates, said the Electoral Board informed them of its decision Monday.

The ruling keeps Puigdemont and Toni Comín, who fled to Belgium, and Clara Ponsatí, who lives in the U.K., out of the May 26 race to fill Spain’s allotted seats at the parliament in Strasbourg.

Puigdemont fled Spain in 2017 after Madrid imposed direct rule on the wealthy northeastern region which had unilaterally declared independence. He is living in Belgium.