Spanish deputies must adopt this Tuesday afternoon at first reading a bill amnestying the Catalan separatists who tried to organize the secession of Catalonia in 2017, one of the worst political crises experienced by Spain since the return to democracy.
This amnesty was the non-negotiable condition set by the separatist parties in exchange for their essential support for the renewal in mid-November by Parliament of socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for a new term.
The project sparked protests from tens of thousands of demonstrators.
Carles Puigdemont will be able to return to Spain
If the law is passed, it will ultimately result in the lifting of legal proceedings against hundreds of independence activists and leaders.
First beneficiary: Carles Puigdemont, Catalan regional president at the material time, who will thus be able to return to Spain more than six years after his flight to Belgium to escape prosecution.
In the Assembly, the government text must be able to count on a majority of 178 deputies out of 350 thanks to the votes of the socialists, the far left with whom Pedro Sánchez governs in coalition, and the Catalan and Basque parties.
Its future is uncertain in the Senate, where the Popular Party (PP), the main right-wing opposition group, with a majority in the upper chamber, has promised to do everything possible to slow down the examination of the text.
PP elected officials have even already modified the Senate regulations to increase requests for opinions and reports, before even attacking the battle of amendments.
“The worst version of politics”
The government “has traded impunity for power”, it represents “the worst version of politics and the worst perversion of justice”, launched Sunday the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in front of 45,000 supporters gathered in the center of Madrid during a new demonstration against the amnesty.
Support in Russia?
Part of the judicial body is also very opposed to this absolution, and judges have tried to speed up procedures so that their investigations do not fall within the scope of the law.
On Monday, the magistrate of the Barcelona court investigating alleged links between Carles Puigdemont and Russia announced that he had extended for six months his investigation, which intends to determine whether the separatist sought to obtain support from the Kremlin in 2017 to the possible independence of Catalonia.
In a court document, this judge assured that he had “data” confirming the “close personal relationships” between those close to Puigdemont and people occupying “diplomatic functions or (having) links with the Russian secret services”.
According to the daily El Pais, this investigation could lead to proceedings against the Belgian refugee for "treason", which would not be covered by the amnesty law.
A second judicial front is also still open around the mysterious organization “Democratic Tsunami”, behind the blockade of Barcelona airport in October 2019 to protest against the sentencing of Catalan independence leaders to heavy prison sentences.
In this case, judge Manuel García Castellon considers that the acts alleged against Mr. Puigdemont, accused of having led this organization in the shadows, could amount to “terrorism”.
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IN 2019, protesters blocked Barcelona airport, leaving 75 injured
Since coming to power in 2018, socialist Pedro Sánchez has taken a softer approach to Catalonia than his conservative predecessor, pardoning nine imprisoned independence leaders and overturning the crime of sedition for which they were convicted.
Winning bet: the radical separatists of the Junts party and the more moderate of the ERC retreated at the polls, to the benefit of the Catalan socialists.
Sanchez's PSOE now hopes to wrest Catalonia's regional government from the ERC in next year's regional elections.
As for the Catalan population, they support the amnesty law but are speaking out less and less in favor of the independence of Catalonia, even in Barcelona.