Spanish left agrees on amnesty for Catalan separatists

Spain’s Socialists and hard left party Sumar, in talks to form a new government, back an amnesty for Catalan separatists facing legal action over Catalonia’s failed 2017 independence bid, a Sumar spokesman said Wednesday.

Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Sumar leader Yolanda Diaz — who is also acting labour minister in Spain’s Socialist-led caretaker government — met Wednesday to formally start negotiations to renew his term.

King Felipe VI on Tuesday tasked Sanchez to try to cobble together a working majority in parliament after the leader of the conservative Popular Party — which won the most seats in a July general election — failed in his own bid to win parliamentary support to become prime minister failed last week.

During their talks Sanchez and Diaz “discussed the amnesty” and agree on the “approach” to take, Sumar spokesperson Nacho Alvarez told reporters after the meeting.

“It is not an issue where we have disagreements at the moment,” he added.

If Sanchez is to be reinstated as premier, he will need to pass a key parliamentary vote for which he will need the backing of Sumar as well as some Basque and Catalan nationalist parties.

In exchange for their support Catalonia’s two main separatist parties — ERC and the more hardline JxCat — are both calling for an amnesty for the hundreds of politicians and activists facing legal action over their role in Catalonia’s failed 2017 secession bid, which sparked Spain’s worst political crisis in decades.

The amnesty is vehemently opposed by the right and also crosses a red line for some within Sanchez’s own Socialist party.

An anti-independence group is organising a protest in Barcelona on Sunday against the amnesty, and Alberto Nunez-Feijoo and other top officials from his main opposition Popular Party have said they will take part.

Alvarez said there were still difference between Sumar and the Socialists over “social and work-related issues”.

“We want a government that reduced working hours, raises salaries and tackles the housing problem, Diaz wrote on social media network X, formerly called Twitter.

Sanchez, who has governed Spain since he led a successful no-confidence vote against former PP prime minister Mariano Rajoy in 2018, has proved to be a tenacious political survivor with a knack for striking deals with rival parties.

“We have shown our capacity for dialogue and consensus,” said Socialist party spokeswoman Pilar Alegria, before adding Sanchez and Diaz will reach “clear and transparent” agreements.

If no candidate secures a parliamentary majority to govern by november 27, another national election has to be called, most likely in mid-January.

vab/ds/cw