Spain's Supreme Court turns down Sanchez's request to vote

Catalonia's regional presidency looks likely to remain unfilled for some time after Spain's Supreme court ruled the Catalans' preferred candidate, the jailed Jordi S`anchez, will remain behind bars.

S`anchez had petitioned the court to be allowed free to vote in the upcoming parliamentary session, after he was nominated for the top job by the former president, Carles Puigedemont, who is a fugitie from Spanish justice in Belgium.

The Catalan parliament is due to meet on Monday when it is expected to proceed to a vote on a new leader.

Sanchez is awaiting trial on charges of rebellion and sedition over his role in orchestrating pro-independence protests last year during which national police were trapped inside a building in Barcelona, and their vehicles were destroyed.