SPAIN: On Sunday, thousands are anticipated to assemble in Madrid for a demonstration against the potential amnesty for individuals involved in the failed bid for Catalan independence six years ago that triggered Spain’s most significant political turmoil in decades.
The issue of amnesty emerged following the inconclusive general election in July, where the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) narrowly lost to the conservative People’s Party (PP).
Despite the People’s Party (PP) winning, the Socialist Party (PSOE), led by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stands as the most likely contender to form a new government. However, to achieve this, Sánchez will need to secure support from Junts, a staunch Catalan independence party headed by former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain six years ago to evade arrest due to his role in orchestrating the unilateral and illegal push for independence.
Puigdemont, residing in self-exile in Brussels, has stated that his party will endorse Sánchez only if the interim prime minister grants amnesty to all those involved in the secession attempt.
Sánchez, who granted pardons to nine Catalan independence leaders convicted for their roles in the secessionist movement two years ago, has kept his options open. Earlier this month, one of his acting deputy prime ministers, Yolanda Díaz from the Sumar party, travelled to Belgium to meet with Puigdemont to explore potential avenues for a new government.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the People’s Party (PP), will seek the support of MPs next week to form a new government. However, his attempt is expected to falter due to a lack of sufficient support in Congress. After five years in office, Sánchez will then put himself forward as a prime ministerial candidate, contingent on winning the endorsement of Puigdemont and Junts.
In his remarks on Wednesday, the acting prime minister deliberately steered clear of discussing the topic of amnesty.
He stated, “If I’m chosen as a candidate, I will talk—completely frankly and transparently—about the main lines of a hypothetical administration led by the Socialist Party.”
“But what I can tell you now is that it will be coherent with what we’ve already done. I’ve seen some of the things that have been said—not just by the opposition but also in the conservative media—and we’ve had five years of apocalyptic prophecies that have never come to pass,” he added.
Sánchez also mentioned that his approach to the Catalan issue, which has been notably more reconciliatory compared to his predecessor from the PP, Mariano Rajoy, had paid off and brought a “traumatised” Spain back together.
However, the PP has criticised Sanchez for what they see as hypocrisy and opportunism, highlighting that the socialist leader had previously opposed amnesty and had promised that those involved in the bid for independence would be held accountable.
Feijóo stated on Thursday, “We’re probably at a turning point in our country’s democratic history. Yesterday, for the first time, we saw a Spanish prime minister speaking openly about the possibility of an amnesty for all those who committed crimes against Spanish democracy.”
The PP aims to capitalise on public discontent surrounding the potential amnesty issue and has scheduled a major demonstration in the capital on Sunday under the banner of “defending the equality of all Spaniards.”
Feijóo will be accompanied at the demonstration by two of his predecessors: Rajoy, who was prime minister during the Catalan issue, and José Mara Aznar, who led Spain from 1996 to 2004.
The conservative party hopes that this event will help them regain the political momentum they’ve lost since the election and exert pressure on Sánchez on the eve of Feijóo’s likely unsuccessful investiture attempt.
If Sánchez fails to secure the necessary support to return to office, Spain will face its sixth general election in nine years, likely taking place early next year.
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