When the Government moved its hands around the crystal ball to glimpse the political future, they placed the application of amnesty to the leaders of the procés, such as Carles Puigdemont or Oriol Junqueras, as a “milestone of 2026”. “There will be a before and after the return of Puigdemont,” they maintained. It happens that the relationship with Junts is very deteriorated, broken according to the separatists, with a scenario, moreover, of rapprochement by the PP. And the legislature is facing its last gasps. In this situation, the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) considering that the Amnesty Law is compatible with European regulations is a breath of fresh air for the Executive. Because it allows La Moncloa to show the business card that they comply. That they promoted a law that has been validated by European justice.
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The message is important and has long-term implications. Puigdemont’s return will not be imminent. If it happens, it would be in a few months, in the final stretch of the year. Pronouncement by the Constitutional Court and waiting to see what the Supreme Court judges determine and if a new preliminary ruling is not presented that again paralyzes the situation of the former president for months. There are few or no hopes in the Executive that this hypothesis will make Junts turn to support the Budgets they intend to bring to Congress. Their perspective is more long-term: they need “milestones” like this Thursday’s to show their partners, especially the separatists, that they are willing tofulfill political promises.
“Steps are being taken that help fulfill our commitment,” explains a member of the Executive about the CJEU ruling. They know that the application of amnesty is not in their hands, which as has been established is something that corresponds to the judges, to the Supreme Court, but it will not be for lack of trying on their part. They agreed on it, promoted it – despite considering it unconstitutional before it was demanded of them – and drafted and redrafted it to try to shield it against the appeals they foresaw would arise. “We need all the steps to be completed”, they insist. And the last of them is that Puigdemont has the possibility to benefit from the pardon.
The focus is not so much on the Public Accounts – in fact Junts has already voted with PP and Vox this week to reject the stability path, the cornerstone of the Budgets – but on the fact that both in La Moncloa and in Ferraz they know that their chances of fighting the right in the next elections depend on rallying again a majority that pivots on nationalist formations. And the numbers are so precarious and tight that there is no room to do without any partner. And PNV and Junts are two formations that are on the radar of both PSOE and PP.
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“The Government will always be willing to seek and follow that path of agreements among different parties. That is the politics with a capital P that we want and that we do. Despite the many difficulties the path had, which it did, despite the many things we heard at that time that chilled our blood, it was worth it. It is worth it,” was the invitation made by Félix Bolaños, Minister for the Presidency and Justice, when assessing the CJEU ruling. “It is time to apply the law normally and continue moving forward together,” they maintain from Ferraz.
For now, the staging of PSOE and Junts does not change. The socialists show an outstretched hand and although avoiding clashing with the Catalan separatists, they point out that there are already 69 legislative initiatives approved in this legislature. For these, the support of Junts has been necessary. That is, one thing would be what is said publicly and another the day-to-day.
From Junts, the message is that the endorsement of amnesty does not mean that their relationship with the socialists will change. Their secretary general, Jordi Turull, warned that until “they fulfill everything they owe us, which is a lot, we cannot rebuild the relationship with someone you do not trust.”
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