🇪🇸Week of October 19

France is preparing the army and elite units to contain a wave of vandalism, Spanish newspapers reported, after unrest that included the burning of Limoges town hall. The man detained for that fire is described as a radical-left activist known to French intelligence. A young man of Basque origin, Hodei Ciarra Docampo, is identified as having sown chaos in Limoges.123

French Interior Minister Lecornu has said he favours declaring a state of emergency in France "if necessary" and gave the go-ahead for curfews. The government announced partial curfews and accused the far left of "organising deep chaos."12

A specialist in French politics quoted in the Spanish press argues that "the extreme right is the one that benefits most" from the violence in the streets. La Vanguardia, in a piece headlined on an "impotent" Macron, frames the unrest around the French president's political weakness.45

The unrest has reached Spanish politics: in Catalonia, Aliança leader Silvia Orriols cited the French events and asked "Is this what you want for Catalonia and for your children?" French debt has returned to the centre of European market concern, with France's risk premium threatening to set off a debt crisis, and Spain's Ibex fell almost 2 percent amid instability in France.54

A teacher at a religious school in Madrid has been arrested and is already in prison, accused of sexually assaulting 10 minors and recording the abuse. The pupils were between 12 and 15 years old, and the school is Las Mercedarias. The man taught science and had previously worked as a goalkeeping coach at Atlético Madrid.123

The abuse spanned five school years, according to ABC, which reported that the teacher drew pupils in through the PlayStation, inviting them to play at his home. El Mundo quoted the same account of how he approached the children, describing him as luring them with invitations to play.42

The case is now before the courts, with the teacher in custody after his arrest. The reports did not specify the date of the arrest or the court that ordered the prison term.51

Spain's Constitutional Court has rejected the ombudsman's amparo appeal against the suspension of voting rights for Spaniards naturalised under the 'ley de nietos' (grandchildren law), leaving the vote of 160,000 people in doubt ahead of the 29 November elections. The court's decision keeps in place the suspension ordered by the Supreme Court.123

The court rejected the appeal by 10 votes to 2, according to El Español. La Vanguardia reported that the appeal was turned down as premature.45

The ombudsman, the Defensor del Pueblo, had filed the appeal over the suspension of voting rights for citizens covered by the grandchildren law. An internal report at the court had proposed rejecting the appeal as premature, and the appeal divided the court's progressive bloc.15

OkDiario reported that Justice Minister Campo and magistrate Sáez were the only ones who defended the appeal for the 'nietos'.6

The suspension stems from a Supreme Court order, and the court's ruling leaves open what happens to the affected voters on 29 November. El Mundo asked whether the elections will be challenged.72

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Partido Popular, promised to build one million homes and cut taxes for tenants and owners if his party wins the 29 November general election. Speaking in Seville, he said the PP would create "a new generation of homeowners" through tax relief of 25,000 euros for young people buying their first home.1234

La Voz de Galicia reported that Feijoo described the plan as "the greatest aid in history" for young people's access to housing. ABC quoted him saying that reversing "the failure of this government on housing" would be his success.54

Spain's Supreme Court applied the amnesty to former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras and three former regional ministers — Meritxell Bassa, Jordi Turull and Raül Romeva — in a ruling issued on Tuesday. The court amnestied the malversación (misappropriation of public funds) offence for which they had been convicted. The decision followed the Supreme Court asking the parties whether the procés malversación offence should be amnestied after a Constitutional Court ruling.1234

The ruling carried strong criticism of the Constitutional Court. The Supreme Court accused the tribunal of "invading" its functions and, in the account of El Español, denounced the court's "expansionismo" as a "mutation" of the constitutional design.354

Attributed claim: Público reported that the Supreme Court applied the amnesty after assuming the Constitutional Court's doctrine, a framing that puts the ruling's reasoning in a different light from the court's own attack on the tribunal. The centre-right outlets El Mundo and El Español led on the accusation of institutional overreach, while the centre-left El País headlined the amnesty itself alongside the criticism of the Constitutional Court.2356

The amnesty covers the malversación conviction of Junqueras and the three former ministers, removing that offence from their sentences. The ruling was issued as an auto, the form of a reasoned judicial decision.123

Spain's Supreme Court has closed the period for submissions in the case over the suspension of voting rights for 163,020 Spaniards naturalised under the 'ley de nietos' (grandchildren law). Affected voters had a limited window to present alegaciones to the court, and the deadline has now run out.123

The suspension stems from an amparo appeal filed by the Defensor del Pueblo, Spain's ombudsman, with the Constitutional Court over the voting rights of naturalised citizens covered by the law. The Constitutional Court's vice-president activated the magistrates after the appeal was lodged.43

An internal report at the Constitutional Court proposes rejecting the ombudsman's appeal as premature, stating that it is 'prematuro'. The appeal has divided the court's progressive bloc, while the government has been left without a route to bring the law before the Constitutional Court itself, leaving only affected individuals able to challenge it.546

PSOE and IU are advising those affected by the suspension while the government has not yet cleaned up the census, and diplomats say it is 'casi imposible' to know which naturalised citizens will be able to vote on 29 November. In Asturias, 143,588 registered voters abroad are affected by the Supreme Court's halt.789

Students blocked access to the Louvre museum in Paris in support of protests by secondary-school pupils in cities across France. The Louvre announced a temporary closure because of the blockade by students of the École du Louvre, who were backing the lycée protests.1234

French Interior Minister Lecornu said he favoured declaring a state of emergency in France "if necessary" and gave the go-ahead for curfews to be imposed. The French government announced partial curfews and accused the far left of "organising deep chaos".56

Students pledged to "stay mobilised until we obtain concrete commitments", according to RFI. The mobilisation spread from the lycées to higher-education students, who joined the Louvre action.74

Attributed claim: Accounts of who was behind the Louvre blockade differ. El Debate (right) described violent groups blocking the museum, while heraldo.es, Infobae and Euronews reported that students were blocking access in support of the school protests.8231

In Catalonia, Aliança leader Silvia Orriols cited the French unrest and asked: "Is this what you want for Catalonia and for your children?" La Vanguardia asked where the anger comes from and why it has surprised politicians.910

French debt is back at the centre of European market concern, with the country's risk premium threatening to set off a debt crisis. Spain's Ibex accelerated its falls and shed almost 2 percent on instability in France.123

Markets are asking whether the European Central Bank will intervene and when. The concern extends beyond France: French debt could push Italy into recession, and the rise in yields has revived fears of another euro crisis.145

Attributed claim: El Economista, a centre-right outlet, casts France as nearing the abyss, saying Europe's largest welfare state cannot contain the protests. El Periódico, centre-left, frames the same events as the ghost of Europe's debt crisis returning and asks why France is the source of worry.26

The mayor of Algeciras, Landaluce, announced he will leave the Alcaldía on 25 October, ending more than 15 years in the post. He steps down three days before a censure motion against him was due to be debated.1234

His exit follows two complaints of sexual assault and a court imputation for sexual harassment. El Confidencial reports that he maintains his innocence while resigning.156

The PSOE in Algeciras, which took the first step in reporting the alleged sexual abuse, welcomed the resignation.7

Attributed claim: Outlets describe the pressure on Landaluce differently. El País and Infobae lead on the imputation for harassment and the two complaints, while El Confidencial stresses that he defends his innocence; La Voz Digital framed his final hours as a choice between resigning and facing the censure motion.1568

Judge Pablo Llarena rejected an appeal by Vox and confirmed his decision to lift the arrest warrant against Carles Puigdemont, clearing the way for the former Catalan president to return to Spain without being detained. The ruling applies the amnesty to Puigdemont without waiting for the Constitutional Court to rule on his amparo appeal.123

In his ruling Llarena criticised the Constitutional Court's handling of the amnesty, and he reproached Constitutional Court president Cándido Conde-Pumpido for a lack of "mesura". The court's vice-president had activated the magistrates after the ombudsman filed an amparo against the grandchildren law.245

The Supreme Court considers that Puigdemont can benefit from the amnesty and confirmed the end of his arrest order. Coverage on Thursday repeated that he can return without risk of detention.67

Attributed claim: Outlets framed the ruling differently. ABC, on the right, presented it as Llarena applying the amnesty to Puigdemont without the Constitutional Court needing to see his amparo, while ESdiario described the judge as standing up to the Constitutional Court even as he withdrew the search-and-capture order.38