After the meeting of the federal committee of the PSOE this Saturday in which the acting president of the Government and general secretary, Pedro Sánchez, defended the granting of amnesty to the leaders prosecuted or convicted by the process, this Sunday it was the turn of the first secretary of the PSC, Salvador Illa, who has asked for "unwavering support" for Sánchez and "trust" in the path taken in the negotiation with Junts per Catalunya and Esquerra Republicana.
The leader of the Catalan socialists has done the same in an extraordinary meeting of the national council in which he has defended the measure as “exceptional” and “constitutional.” According to him, his approval will serve to overcome “resentment” and “recover full political normality in Catalonia.”
Thus, as planned, the highest governing body of the party between congresses has unanimously decided to also articulate a consultation with the militancy in Catalonia on the government pacts with the following text: “Do you support the agreement to form a government with Sumar and obtain the support of other political formations to achieve the necessary majority?” This is the same formula that the PSOE has chosen.
“Spain, embodied in its Parliament, cannot have a greater show of affection for Catalonia and the Catalans than making this commitment to rebuilding our coexistence and restoring our affections,” stressed the former Minister of Health, who has expressed his support. “seamless” to the leader of the PSOE and his approaches while asking the PSC militancy to do the same. “Trust,” Illa has demanded of them, stressing that it is a measure of “generosity” but not “naivety.”
Likewise, the head of the opposition in Parliament has argued that the approval of an amnesty law in the Congress of Deputies is a constitutional measure. In that sense, he has highlighted that in its preamble, the Magna Carta “establishes coexistence between Spaniards and between the peoples of Spain as the supreme good.”
The leader of the Catalan socialists has also shown understanding with those who have "doubts" and "reluctance" about the amnesty, but has asked for "confidence" and has appealed to the balance of measures promoted by the central coalition government such as the pardons for the leaders of the process or the reform of the Penal Code, which in his opinion have already produced palpable results, although they have not solved all the problems. “The result is that in Catalonia we are much better today and, therefore, also in Spain, because Catalonia is part of Spain,” Illa argued to his party colleagues.
“I put as a guarantee of the trust to which I appeal to the PSOE and the PSC, which have always been, are and will continue to be, the best guarantee of the territorial cohesion of Spain,” continued the first secretary of the Catalan socialists.
Thus, as he already did at the meeting of the federal committee of the PSOE, in which he also spoke, Illa has called today to defend "without complexes" the "plural and diverse" Spain. “It is the only viable path for our country. Spain is all of us and it belongs to all of us. We want the Spain that convinces and welcomes, not the Spain that conquers and imposes,” he highlighted.
“The same values that in 2017 led us to oppose unrealistic and completely unsatisfactory approaches for us, the defense of coexistence, the defense of the plurality of Catalonia, respect for the rule of law, lead us today to defend an amnesty because We do not want resentment, because we want to move forward with enthusiasm,” Illa concluded.
The PSC militancy, like that of the PSOE and the youth of both organizations, can vote this week electronically and next Saturday, November 4, in person.
After the pact with Sumar sealed this week, the socialist ranks hope to advance in the negotiation with the rest of the parliamentary groups in the coming days.
