2023-11-08 18:20:58
The ‘number three’ of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Santos Cerdán, was flying to Belgium to meet with Carles Puigdemont. The objective was clear: to obtain the support of Junts to achieve the investiture of Pedro Sánchez.
The PSOE has already signed agreements with Sumar to reissue a coalition government and with ERC, to whom it promises the transfer of Rodalies to the Generalitat and the forgiveness of part of the Catalan debt. But the seven Junts seats resist him.
The plans planned by Sánchez’s party were broken when they could not register the amnesty law last Friday because there was no agreement with Puigdemont. And the agreement has still not been reached despite the intense meetings.
“We will not change prudence (…) no matter how much hurry some are in”
The politician who fled to Brussels made it clear that he was in no hurry to close an agreement and remained cautious. “We have always said that when dealing with the Spanish political system, all precautions are too few. We maintain ourselves, and we strengthen ourselves. We will not change the prudence and precautions that we have maintained until now no matter how hasty some are,” wrote Carles Puigdemont in his account. ‘X’ (former Twitter).
The Junts negotiating leadership has arrived at the European Parliament, where the former president of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont is also present. The general secretary, Jordi Turull, the president of the party, Laura Borrás and the spokesperson in Congress Miriam Nogueras to debate – within their own party – the arrival of an investiture agreement with the PSOE.
Investiture postponed to next week
Despite the attempts of the socialists to end the week with Pedro Sánchez invested as president of the Government of Spain. this will not be fulfilled. The PSOE and Junts have left behind the rush to try to have the investiture debate held this week and are already aiming for the following week but without any pause in the negotiation of the agreement that allows it.
Socialist sources already assume that their plans are disrupted and point out that there is “a high probability” that the investiture will be next week due to the “obstacles” regarding the amnesty. The negotiators want to close a “seamless” amnesty law so that it passes the endorsement of the Constitutional Court. But the negotiations have a deadline: if there is no investiture on November 27, elections would be automatically called.
The negotiations to reach an agreement cooled down and what was going to be an ‘express’ investiture of Pedro Sánchez seems to have to wait, at least, a few more days. They do not rule out that the meetings will be extended until next week and insist that there is still time to seal an agreement.
A “seamless” amnesty law
Apparently, one of the obstacles that is freezing the negotiations between Junts and PSOE would be the amnesty law. Both political groups want to be sure that the law is drafted without cracks and that it will pass the examination to which it is expected to be subjected by the Constitutional Court, since the opposition has already announced that they will appeal it.
The jurists of both political parties are thoroughly studying each document, to avoid any “weak flank.” Meanwhile, the conversations continue. The socialist delegation that is in Brussels has extended its stay and intends to continue in the Belgian capital until an agreement is definitively closed.
They point out that in the discussions no proper names are being discussed and on the contrary the efforts are concentrated on making a “clean” law.
Protests in Madrid against the amnesty
While the investiture of the socialist Sánchez is negotiated in Brussels, protests are taking place in Madrid in front of the national headquarters of the PSOE on Ferraz Street. Those attending want to make clear their rejection of the amnesty law and the agreements – with independentists – to form a government.
The fifth day of protests on Ferraz Street in Madrid resulted in seven arrests, including a minor, and 30 police officers injured, police sources have informed ‘EFE’.
These arrests are in addition to the three made on Monday in the same place after an ultra group of about 200 people threw bottles and objects at the police officers and cut the ties of the security fence in the area.
The arrests were made for alleged crimes of public disorder, according to information provided by the Government Delegation in Madrid.
Around 7,000 protesters gathered around 8:00 p.m. at the socialist headquarters in a concentration not communicated to the Government Delegation and then a large group of them headed towards Gran Vía with the intention of reaching the Congress of Deputies, but the police device prevented it.
A young man chains himself in front of Congress
A 28-year-old young man from Toledo has chained himself to a tree in the Plaza de las Cortes, in front of the Congress of Deputies. He has been on hunger strike since this Tuesday as a protest against the amnesty of the process. He demands a repeat election and for people to take to the streets “peacefully.”
The chained man carries a Spanish flag and chants such as “Sánchez, leave now, the people don’t love you” or “Let Txapote vote for you.” “Pedro Sánchez in the electoral campaign the first thing he said was that he would not make an agreement with ETA and what he has done was make an agreement with ETA, he said that he would bring (Carles) Puigdemont in front of the judge and he has not done it, what he is going to do It is an amnesty and the Spanish Constitution is going to be violated and we Spaniards cannot allow that,” he denounces.
The PP plays its cards against the amnesty
The Senate approves the proposal to reform the Regulations proposed by the PP that will delay the amnesty law. In addition, it plans to process it by ‘express’ means with the intention of having it definitively approved next Tuesday.
The Senate Board, where the PP has an absolute majority, has made a decision and rejects the proposals presented by the PSOE and other parties. However, the socialist spokesperson for the Senate, Eva Granados, has already announced that the PSOE would take the reform of the Regulation to the Constitutional Court.
#negotiations #Junts #frozen