Will Catalonia be independent in the close future? // Source: Translation Agency, unsplash.comThe passing year in Spain was marked by parliamentary elections. On the last Sunday of July, nearly 25 million Spaniards moved to urn. However, the government was not able to formulate until late November. Until the last moment, 2 alliances fought for the support of parliamentarians – the left led by erstwhile Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the right with Alberto Nēez Feijóo at the head. Ultimately, the socialists will proceed to regulation Spain.
In the lower chamber of parliament, the most mandates were obtained by the right-wing People's organization – 136, and just behind it was the Spanish Socialist Workers' organization (PSOE) – 122 mandates. The podium closed the right-wing VOX (33 mandates), and Sumar's left-wing alliance ranked 4th with 31 mandates. However, the key to building a government coalition was parties that achieved a single-digit mandate result, in peculiar a number group – Catalan and Basque.
Fate of a vote of confidence
Just after the authoritative election results were announced, it became clear that the centre-right People's organization in the case of government would stand to coalition with the right-wing VOX, and the socialist organization of Prime Minister Sánchez with left-wing Sumar. The situation turned out to be very akin to that which occurred after the elections in Poland. King Philip VI first met with both leaders at Zarzuela Palace. In the first step, however, he decided to entrust the task of creating the government to the leader of the peoples Alberto Núñez Feijóo, even though he had small chance of gathering the majority in the Legislative Assembly. Monarch explained the decision that it was the People's organization that won the most support in the July elections.
At 176 required votes, the head of the centre-right organization had any 172. The situation of the opposition leader did not improve his attitude towards Catalan environments either. At the end of September Feijóo applied to parliament for a vote of confidence. However, as expected, he did not receive the required support. He ran out of 4 votes. At that point, there were 2 options. Either Pedro Sánchez gets along with the Catalan separatists, or Spain awaits another accelerated election. It was the first solution.
Tough conditions
Knowing that it was up to them, i.e. the separatist parties, to “be or not be” the possible government of Pedro Sánchez, negotiations began with advanced C as regards the conditions for support for PSOE and Sumar. First of all, they demanded amnesty for 4000 activists who took an active part in organizing the independency referendum of Catalonia in 2017. This group included Carles Puigdemont, then president of Generelitat de Catalunya (the main political institution of Catalan autonomy), who was the leader of the illegal vote according to Madrid. PSOE leader had already pardoned respective Catalan leaders in June 2021, so it was reasonable for separatists to anticipate further steps on this issue.
– erstwhile deciding to pardon respective Catalan separatist leaders in June 2021, I was convinced that it would contribute to the stableness and normalization of the situation in Catalonia. Now we are certain that this was a good decision and was in the general interest – emphasised the socialist in 1 October speech before the informal European Council in Grenada. Furthermore, Catalan separatists demanded a re-conference on the self-determination of Catalonia. However, the Prime Minister himself and the leader of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz, ruled out this possibility.
Not Easy Agreements
In the end, an agreement was reached between Sánchez and Catalan secessionists on the issue of amnesty, so the erstwhile Prime Minister could prepare in peace to vote on the vote of assurance in the parliament. However, this was occupied by strong opposition from society. A fewer days before the key debate on the streets of Spanish cities, nearly 1 million people were out demanding the withdrawal of the socialist leader from the agreement. On the banners of those rebelling against the proposed solutions, there were slogans stating that Sánchez ‘sold his country’. The leaders of the People's organization – Alberto Núñez Feijóo and VOX – Santiago Abascal called for a revolt against possible future power.
In the end, however, on 16 November, a vote of assurance for the government coalition PSOE and Sumar took place. 179 deputies voted for the fresh government. The government of Sánchez in addition to PSOE and Sumar supported all 14 representatives of pro-independence groups from Catalonia – Junts Per Catalunya and Republican Left of Catalonia, as well as eleven MPs from the Basque Nationalist Basque organization and EH Bildu. The opposition was 171 MPs, mostly right-wing opposition.
Women's Government
Four days after winning the vote of confidence, Pedro Sánchez announced the composition of his 3rd government, which forms with the left-wing block of Sumar. Interestingly, women make up more than 50% of the fresh Council of Ministers, having 12 of 22 ministerial texts. As regards the division of positions between PSOE and Sumar, however, it creates 17:5. The Yolanda Díaz block, however, took over a very crucial ministry. Mónica García, from the left-wing regional organization of Más Madrid, headed by the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, will deal with Díaz herself, who besides received the post of Deputy Prime Minister. In addition, the “pink block” will take over the ministries of culture, social rights and children and youth. The remainder of the positions were divided by PSOE.
Pedro Sánchez's coming word will most likely be the hardest one. The biggest challenge could be to keep the support of separatists while halting large protests and strikes. Time will tell if it's even possible.
Mr Filip STACHOWIC
