MADRID, Oct 28 (Reuters) – The acting president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, this Saturday expressed his support for granting a controversial amnesty to those involved in the failed independence campaign in Catalonia in 2017, in the hope of convincing the parties of the region to support him in the Government.
“In the interest of Spain and in defense of coexistence between Spaniards, today I defend the amnesty in Catalonia for the events that occurred in the last decade,” Sánchez said during a meeting of the Federal Committee of the Socialist Party in Madrid.
The announcement was received with applause and a standing ovation from those in attendance.
Sánchez, who is trying to form a coalition government three months after inconclusive elections, agreed this week to a coalition pact with the left-wing Sumar party, but the support of that party’s 31 deputies in the lower house is not enough to secure the position of president of the Government.
It needs the support of the Catalan separatist parties, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and Junts, which have demanded an amnesty law that could include more than 1,400 people involved in the failed independence campaign.
They have said their support also depends on another independence referendum.
“To continue moving forward, we must overcome all the episodes that in past times divided us and fractured our societies,” said Sánchez.
He added that his party looks “at the problems head-on,” and added that 80% of Catalans support an agreement on the issue.
The possible amnesty has unleashed a political storm in Spain, with large protests by opponents, mainly conservatives, who accuse Sánchez of endangering the rule of law for his own political benefit.
A poll in September showed that 70% of respondents – 59% of them socialist sympathizers – were against an amnesty. (Reporting by Jessica Jones; Editing in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa)
Source: Ambito
