Spain’s congress has given the green light to the contentious Catalan amnesty bill, a demand made by regional separatists in exchange for their support to the country’s Socialist-led coalition government following last year’s inconclusive general election.
The approval of the bill, passed with 178 votes in favor and 172 against in the 350-seat parliament, marks a significant development for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who staked his political future on this concession.
The vote took place amidst heightened political tensions, coming a day after Catalonia’s president, Pere Aragonès, announced an early regional election following the defeat of his government’s budget in the Catalan assembly.
While the conservative People’s Party (PP) emerged victorious in last July’s snap election, it failed to garner enough support to dislodge the Sánchez government, even with the backing of the far-right Vox party.
Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which came in second, managed to establish a new minority coalition government after securing the backing of the two main Catalan pro-independence parties. This support was secured by offering amnesty to individuals involved in the unilateral attempt to secede from Spain, notably the 2017 illegal independence referendum.
The amnesty bill extends to approximately 400 individuals linked to the symbolic independence referendums of November 2014 and October 2017, including former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium to evade arrest.
While the bill has cleared the lower house, it faces a more stringent examination in the PP-controlled senate before returning to congress for final approval. Once enacted, judges will apply the amnesty on a case-by-case basis.
The legislation has sparked widespread disapproval among many Spaniards, with polls indicating significant opposition. Critics argue that the bill undermines justice and equality before the law.
Sánchez has defended the amnesty as a necessary step to move Spain past historical confrontations. He cited the decision to pardon nine convicted Catalan independence leaders three years ago as an example of easing tensions and fostering dialogue.
However, opponents accuse him of prioritizing personal political interests over the country’s well-being, branding the move as hypocritical and cynical.
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, denounced the bill as “shameful” and “the greatest affront to dignity, equality, and the separation of powers in a western democracy.”
Similarly, Vox’s leader, Santiago Abascal, criticized the creation of a “privileged caste of unpunishable politicians,” arguing that it undermines citizen equality before the law.
Aragonès hailed the bill’s approval as a milestone in ending repression against the independence movement, signaling a new phase towards Catalonia’s freedom.
The complex political landscape was further muddled when Aragonès called for an election on May 12, accusing opponents of obstructing his budget.
While Aragonès’s party, the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), was once in coalition with the more hardline Junts, the two parties are divided on the path to achieving Catalan sovereignty.
Junts hopes the amnesty will enable Puigdemont to return to Spain and bolster the independence movement’s momentum.
Despite the ERC and Junts securing a majority of votes in the last regional election, recent polls suggest a declining appetite for Catalan independence, underscoring the evolving dynamics within the region.