The Board observes an “electoral violation” by María Marín and asks La 7 to record the debate

The Provincial Electoral Board of Murcia opened a sanction file on Wednesday against María Marín, candidate for the presidency of the Autonomous Community for Podemos-Izquierda Unida Verdes-Alianza Verde, for an “alleged electoral infraction”. It would have violated article 153 of the Organic Law of the General Electoral Regime (Loreg), by failing to comply with the Junta’s agreement to participate only in the first part of the television debate held on May 19 on La 7, at the initiative of the College of Journalists of the Region of Murcia. Marín was supposed to give up her place to the candidate of Más Región-Verdes Equo, Helena Vidal, but she refused to do so, alleging that it was unfair.

By not leaving the lectern, Marín “prevented the development of the debate in the terms approved in this body, caused its suspension and made it impossible for the candidate of the Más Región-Verdes Equo coalition to intervene,” explains the instructor of the file, María Angeles Galmés. In its resolution, to which LA VERDAD agreed this Wednesday, the Board also orders the collection of the public regional channel “the audiovisual support that contains the recording of the debate held and interrupted.”

In addition, La 7 must indicate “if, finally, any compensation was given in the form of an interview or another format” to Vidal. This was determined on May 20 by the Board, which days before the regional elections, admitted an appeal from Vidal’s left-wing coalition and opened the door for the PP, PSOE, Vox and Ciudadanos to request the same reparation. This is because Marín skipped an ordering of the debate based on not “prioritizing the least voted party with two representatives” in 2019 [Podemos-IU-Equo] with two representatives, the others only had one. The Central Electoral Board endorsed this criterion and rejected the appeal of Podemos-IU-AV.

Marín, who faces a possible fine of 300 to 3,000 euros, has ten days to plead.