In Spain, a new edition of the left-wing government of Pedro Sánchez is emerging. The socialist secured the support of Catalan separatist leader Puigdemont. The price is high.
In the struggle to form a government in Spain, the Socialists (PSOE) under acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez have secured the support of the separatists from Catalonia with a controversial agreement. The PSOE negotiator, Santos Cerdán, said in Brussels that there was also agreement with the second of the two separatist parties.
An amnesty was agreed for all “Catalanistas” persecuted by the judiciary between 2012 and 2023. In return, Junts wants to vote in the lower house of parliament for another four-year term for Sánchez.
Last week, the Republican Left Party of Catalonia (ERC) had already agreed to such an agreement. “We are now ready to enter a new historical stage in which a negotiated political solution will be sought, based on respect and recognition of the other side,” said Cerdán, referring to the independence movement in Catalonia. Cerdán did not comment specifically on the possibility of a new referendum on the independence of the region in northeastern Spain. Spanish media published the four-page agreement.
Sánchez now needs the support of the Basque party PNV. Unlike with Junts, an agreement here is considered unproblematic.
The Socialists were under time pressure during the talks: If there was no new government by November 27th, the Spaniards would have to go to the polls again on January 14th.
The conservative opposition is storming
The amnesty is intended, among other things, to benefit those independence supporters who took part in a failed attempt to secede from the region in northeastern Spain in 2017. This would also apply to Carles Puigdemont, who lives in exile in Belgium. EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders asked the Spanish caretaker government for information on the project in light of “serious concerns” that had been expressed about the planned amnesty.
Spain’s conservative and right-wing opposition is storming against the amnesty. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo from the conservative People’s Party PP has called for nationwide protests on Sunday. He described the amnesty plans as the “biggest attack on the rule of law”, while other PP representatives spoke of a “humiliation” for the Spaniards. The spokeswoman for the right-wing populist Vox in Madrid, Rocío Monasterio, even accused Sánchez of a “coup” on Thursday. Vox supporters and politicians have been holding protest demonstrations in front of the Socialists’ headquarters for days. There were clashes with the police in Madrid.
Lower House President Francina Armengol (PSOE) is now expected to schedule the vote in the Lower House on Sánchez as head of government for next week. With the support of the left-wing alliance Sumar, ERC and Junts and other regional parties, the socialists have at least 173 votes out of a total of 350. In the first round of voting in the “Congreso de los Diputados” the candidate needs an absolute majority of at least 176 yes votes. In the second round of voting, a simple majority is sufficient.
In the early election on July 23rd, the PSOE only came second behind the conservative People’s Party (PP) led by leading candidate Feijóo. King Felipe VI had therefore initially commissioned Feijóo to form a government. But the 62-year-old’s candidacy was rejected by the House of Commons at the end of September.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
