Spain As a Country - Catalan separatists receive amnesty, taking effect.
The divisive amnesty for Catalan secessionists has been enacted. The "Law for Catalonia's Institutional, Political, and Social Normalization" has been published in the Spanish government's official bulletin.
This implies that those who have escaped abroad to avoid Spanish criminal charges, including former regional leader Carles Puigdemont, can expect to go back without the fear of being detained. Be that as it may, the justices have to first drop the arrest warrants, which could require some time. The approval of the amnesty law in parliament in late May followed heated discussions and numerous votes in both houses.
Promised by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to the "Catalanists," the amnesty and additional indulgences were aimed at gaining the votes of two separatist parties to ensure his re-election in November. Both the liberal Junts party, led by separatist leader Puigdemont, and the leftist ERC are still pushing for the secession of Catalonia from Spain. Sánchez intends to prevent this and fix the problem through dialogue.
"National Disgrace"
The amnesty proposals have generated fury in Spain's fourth-largest EU economy over recent months. Large-scale demonstrations took place with multiple protesters. The opposition leader of the conservative People's Party PP, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, referred to the measure as a "national disgrace" and "international disgrace." Sánchez retaliated by accusing him of political "corruption" for allegedly acquiring his re-election using the amnesty.
The amnesty encompasses all individuals engaged in legal difficulties since 2012 due to their secessionist strivings. A few crimes, such as terrorism, are not included. Among the more than 400 individuals to benefit are Puigdemont and his followers, whose actions triggered turmoil in Catalonia following an unlawful independence referendum and a statement of independence from Spain in the autumn of 2017. The central government subsequently placed the region under direct rule. Puigdemont and a few of his aides have been residing in exile in Belgium since then.
