The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, announced yesterday the call for elections to the Parliament for May 12 (12-M). Until that date, a two-month calendar is deployed, regulated by the electoral law, which determines key aspects such as the presentation of electoral lists, voting by mail, or the campaign.
On Monday the 18th, the president will sign the decree calling for elections, which will be published the following day in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat of Catalonia. From that moment on, the Parliament will be dissolved and the permanent deputation will be established, made up of 23 deputies, with limited functions. This body will be replaced by the new Parliament that comes out of the polls and which must be established by June 7, that is, within 20 business days following election day, as established by law.
Parties that want to participate in these elections can present their candidacies to the Electoral Board between March 27 and April 1, that is, between the 15th and 20th from the call of the elections. Parties that want to present themselves in coalition have a deadline of March 22 to notify the Electoral Board.
Voting by mail can be requested from today until May 2, ten days before the elections. Starting April 16, the ballots will be sent to the voter’s home. May 6 is the last day to vote by mail.
The electoral campaign, lasting fifteen days, will begin on the night of Thursday, April 26, and will end on the night of Friday, May 10. The next day is the day of reflection. The law only allows the dissemination of electoral polls until May 6.
The constitution of the polling stations is another central issue. Between April 7 and 11, the draw will be held and within three days those who have been designated president and members will be notified.
In parallel with this calendar, the elections to the European Parliament will begin to unfold, which will be held here on Sunday, June 9. The call will be made two months before and a period will be opened so that between 15 and 20 days later the candidacies can be presented, which will be published in the Official State Gazette one month before June 9. The deputies of the Parliament may not be MEPs.