Since the general elections of July 23, ERC and Junts have not agreed to join forces in the negotiation of an eventual investiture of Pedro Sánchez. In nothing. Until yesterday. The two pro-independence parties agreed that they will reject the re-election of the PSOE leader as President of the Government if he does not first commit to setting a framework for an independence referendum.
But the first meeting between republicans and post-convergents has also marked the first disagreement between them and the socialists. The PSOE and the PSC criticized the initiative hours later through a statement. Stripping one saint to clothe another.
Specifically, the proposal requires a future Sánchez government to “commit to working to make effective the conditions for holding the referendum” on self-determination, without implying that it must be carried out during the next term of the PSOE leader.
Both groups started from distant positions. So much so that the two former members of the Government of the Generalitat had registered this Wednesday in Parliament two proposed resolutions on amnesty and self-determination within the framework of the general policy debate. But at a time when both parties are negotiating with the PSOE to approve an amnesty law in Congress as a bargaining chip for the investiture, they arrive today at the plenary session with a joint resolution, to which the CUP has also joined, relating to the amnesty and the other already mentioned referring to self-determination, from which the anti-capitalists have distanced themselves.
The initial text of the Republicans did not please JxCat due to the role given to the Executive of Pere Aragonès in relation to the amnesty and the negotiation, while the text of the post-convergents contained “nuances” about who would benefit from the measure that they did not convince. to those of Oriol Junqueras. Finally, a wording has been sought in which the three pro-independence parties are comfortable and the proposed resolution will go ahead thanks to the pro-independence majority. It remains to be seen if the common people also vote in favor.
The basis of the text on the amnesty sealed by ERC, Junts and the CUP is the proposal that the three presented in the Congress of Deputies and that was inadmissible by the Table at the beginning of 2021. The law should include “all retaliated persons for political reasons in this cause and in defense of rights and freedoms in the context of social and political conflict with the Spanish State.” Sources from ERC and the CUP maintain that this leaves out Laura Borràs, president of Junts.
At JxCat, for their part, they consider that a “minimum agreement” has been reached and express their satisfaction with the fact that it is clear that it is up to the groups in Madrid to lead the negotiations with the PSOE.
Although in this matter there is coordination and agreement, Junts foresees on the other hand that another resolution will be approved referring to the weakness of the Aragonès Executive and the “lack of trust” of the Catalan Chamber in the Government and in the president, just like the socialists . There has not been any transaction on this point between PSC and JxCat, but it is possible that both resolutions will be approved with the assistance of some other group.
The initiative has not pleased ERC. Junqueras, president of the party, was displeased by the position of the socialists. Not only because of the reprimand to Aragonès, but also because of the decision of Salvador Illa's people to vote against the amnesty in the Parliament. “The PSC will know whether or not its decisions contribute to creating this climate of trust,” said the leader of Esquerra, in a clear warning about the consequences it may have in the negotiations to invest Sánchez.
