MEPs voted to deprive the former head of the Catalan government, MEP Carles Puigdemont, as well as two MEPs, Toni Comin and Clara Ponsati, who were prosecuted in Spain in connection with the illegal referendum in Catalonia in 2017 year, RIA Novosti reported.

The decisions to lift parliamentary immunity were supported by a majority of votes. In particular, 400 deputies voted for the deprivation of the parliamentary immunity of Carles Puigdemont, 248 opposed this decision, and 45 abstained.

Earlier, the parliamentary committee on legal issues voted for the deprivation of immunity. Meanwhile, they will not lose their deputy mandate. Deprivation of parliamentary immunity may result in the resumption of consideration of requests for the extradition of Comin and Puigdemont to Spain in the Belgian courts. Ponsati's case must be dealt with by British justice as she lives in the UK.

Puigdemont, along with several former members of his government, left Spain immediately after the illegal declaration of independence of Catalonia by the regional parliament at the end of October 2017.