In Catalonia's recent election, separatists experienced a loss.
In the elections held in Catalonia, the socialists achieved a tremendous victory while the separatists faced a disappointing outcome. The separatists lost their former majority in the parliament, and the right-wing populist Vox remained relatively stable.
In the early parliamentary elections held in Catalonia on Sunday, the pro-independence parties in the Spanish conflict region lost their coveted absolute majority in the parliament of Barcelona for the first time since 1980. The socialists, led by top candidate Salvador Illa, won the elections. But, with only 42 seats, they are far from an absolute majority (68). Nevertheless, Illa has the potential to become the head of the government with the support of other left-wing parties, thus avoiding another election.
The conservative-liberal Junts party of separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, currently based in exile in Belgium, finished second behind the socialists with 35 seats. However, Puigdemont's chances of forming a government are slim. The separatist Republican Left (ERC), led by former regional president Pere Aragonès, ended up in third place with 20 seats, which is a significant decrease from their previous 33 seats. The four separatist parties collectively managed only 61 seats, representing a loss of 13.
The outcome of these elections was seen as a significant triumph for the left-wing central government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid, over 600 kilometers away. Sánchez's policies towards reconciliation and concessions largely neutralized the conflict in Catalonia, which had long considered Madrid to be their archenemy. This assessment was shared by a talk show on RTVE.
The support of the separatist parties in the national parliament in Madrid is crucial for Sánchez's survival. In addition to other measures to appease them, he has promised an amnesty to all "Catalanistas" who have clashed with the law over their independence efforts. The controversial amnesty bill, which has faced severe criticism from the conservative opposition, might become law as early as June. This amnesty would permit Puigdemont, a fugitive from justice who had to conduct his election campaign from France, to return to Spain.
"Today, amnesty and reconciliation have also triumphed," remarked journalist Juanma Lamet, known for working in the more conservative-leaning newspaper "El Mundo." Columnist Berna González Harbour, who writes for the more Sánchez-friendly newspaper "El País," declared, "We all knew the 'Procés' (separation offensive) was over. Now the separatists know it too." They had "crashed miserably."
The aftermath of an illegal independence referendum and a secession attempt under the guidance of Puigdemont in 2017 resulted in chaos in Catalonia, overshadowed by political instability and a decline in companies and capital.
In his victory speech, Illa emphasized the need for reconciliation and recovery. He promised, "No Catalan will be excluded from this new stage that begins today." Illa aims to bring Catalonia back to its former status as Spain's leading economic region. Although he needs the Republican Left's support to become regional president in the Catalan parliament, his victory was enthusiastically received by the socialists. The Moncloa government palace in Madrid, where Sánchez resides, is overflowing with joy and hope due to the major victory of the socialists. However, critics from the conservative camp claim that Sánchez's conciliatory approach and reliance on separatists have endangered Spain's unity. Despite continued demands for a legal referendum on independence from the separatists, their voice has become significantly weaker.
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In light of the election results, there is speculation about the possibility of a coalition government formed by the socialists and other left-wing parties in Catalonia, which would exclude the separatist parties from holding power. The separatist Republican Left (ERC) experienced a significant decrease in seats, thereby weakening their position in the parliament.
Source: www.ntv.de
