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Cracks have appeared in the front presented by the European MEP group of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), chaired by Iratxe García Pérez of Spain's PSOE, with some European parliamentarians coming out against the lifting of Catalan MEP Carles Puigdemont's immunity. Although MEPs can vote freely on the question, it is clear that the Spanish pro-union parties - PSOE, PP, Cs and Vox - are putting strong pressure on their European groups, using a common strategy to ensure that their petition gets a majority of votes. But these efforts are not fully consolidated and some MEPs are taking up positions in favour of Puigdemont and his Catalan colleagues Clara Ponsatí and Toni Comín.

The former prime minister of Malta and current Socialist MEP Alfred Sant announced that in the vote, scheduled for Monday 8th March, he will reject the request to waive the immunity of Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí because he considers that if the withdrawal of the immunity of the three Catalan politicians prospers "it will be a scandal".

"If next week, the plenary of the European Parliament votes to remove the immunity of Catalan MEPs, it will be a scandal" tweeted Sant. "Democratically elected by the people, the MEPs have been 'guilty' of striving peacefully within political parameters that are accepted in the rest of democratic EU," he said.

Sant made clear that he feels some very broad questions are at stake for the European chamber. "One may disagree with their position and their tactics but to claim they committed a crime by organizing a treasonous riot can only be justified in terms of Francoist fascist 'law'-making," he states.

"For the European Parliament to effectively adopt this position by removing the immunity of the Catalan MEPs would totally contradict and ridicule the stand the Parliament continually takes of preachng about democracy, human rights and the rule of law to others," he argues.

Meanwhile, a total of 52 prominent ex-MEPs, representing different parties and ideologies, and completely transversal, have signed a joint letter urging the European Union to stop the whole process to lift the parliamentary immunity of the Catalan pro-independence exiles. In a joint complaint, they ask the legislators of the EU body not to vote in favour of the report presented by the Committee on Legal Affairs, which goes against Puigdemont, Comín and Ponsatí.

Among the signatories is Daniel Cohn-Bendit, leader of the May 1968 student uprising, former MEP for Germany and France and a pioneer in transnational European politics. Others include the Portuguese Socialist Ana Gomes, Germany's Rebecca Harms and Ireland's Matt Carthy.