⁍ A Madrid court struck down a government order imposing a partial coronavirus lockdown on the Spanish capital.

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⁍ Madrid regional authorities barred residents from leaving the area, including nine satellite towns, without a valid reason.

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⁍ Regional government chief Isabel Diaz Ayuso had opposed the order, saying it would ravage the region’s economy.

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– A Spanish court has struck down a government order banning nonessential travel around Madrid amid an outbreak of a new virus, the AP reports. Under the Health Ministry’s order, residents were barred from leaving the Madrid region, including nine satellite towns, without a valid reason. Regional government chief Isabel Diaz Ayuso had opposed the order, saying it would ravage the region’s economy, also arguing the ministry had no power to impose such curbs on a region. The Madrid regional court sided with her in its ruling, calling the restrictions “interference by public authorities in citizens’ fundamental rights without the legal mandate to support it.” The restrictions imposed in Madrid, with its usually bustling restaurants and bars, had not yet been fully enforced as no fines could be levied on people violating the restrictions until the court had issued its decision. The government can appeal. Welcoming the court’s decision, Ayuso nevertheless urged Madrilenos to stay home over the upcoming Hispanic Day weekend that usually sparks mass holiday travel across Spain. She promised to release a set of ‘sensible, fair, and balanced’ rules on Friday, meaning capital residents may still face more restrictions in a country where the government forecasts GDP will fall 11.2% in 2020.