Court says last year’s strict emergency COVID-19 lockdown that forced people to stay indoors in Spain was illegal

SPAIN’S Constitutional Court has ruled that last year’s pandemic lockdown with its tough travel curbs was illegal and unconstitutional.

The split decision saw six judges in favour with five against.

The ruling said that restrictions on movement infringed the ‘basic rights’ of citizens.

It added that the pretext of calling a State of Alarm was not enough to give the restrictions the appropriate constitutional backing.

The court ruling talked about the illegality of ‘stopping people and vehicles travelling on roads and public spaces’, which they say broke the Spanish constitution.

Last year’s first State of Alarm imposed from mid-March prevented people from going outdoors until early May, except for food shopping, work, medical appointments, and localised dog walking.

The Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, issued a response where it said that the State of Alarm was ‘absolutely essential to save lives’ and was in ‘accordance with the law and the constitution’.

It added that it ‘respected the ruling’ but that it was ‘surprised by its unprecedented nature’.