"In the name of Spain, in the interest of Spain, in defense of coexistence between Spaniards, today I defend the amnesty in Catalonia for the events that took place in the last decade", proclaimed Pedro Sánchez before the PSOE federal committee . And the highest body of the party between congresses, applauded, with the majority of its members standing.
Sánchez's move with the amnesty is irreversible, despite the fact that the support of Junts and ERC for the investiture is still not guaranteed. "Catalonia is ready for total reunion", he justified, to endorse an amnesty for those accused of the process as an "additional measure of grace" after the pardons of the last legislature.
The explicit recognition of the amnesty in order to form an investiture majority and legislature that closes the door to a PP government with Vox was well received by the vast majority of the federal committee. "It was very important to put an end to euphemisms", emphasized a territorial leader.
Sánchez recognized and justified the amnesty to continue making progress in overcoming the rift of 2017. He admitted that the pardons had already raised "legitimate doubts" in the public and among the socialists themselves, in addition to causing "extreme aggression ” from the right. "The grace measures were discussed, but the results are indisputable", he defended. "In Catalonia, the reunion opens day by day and the rift is left behind", he argued.
"Today Spain has a responsible government, which does not hide or look the other way when it comes to advancing with a firm step towards political normalization in Catalonia", he stressed. The pardons were a first step, but "they did not mean the definitive overcoming of the conflict". The next step is amnesty, although it is not an end in itself, nor the end of the road.
Sánchez justified the change of position on 23-J, and some parliamentary support in which, as he pointed out, up to 56 deputies "demand an amnesty to support the investiture".
"This measure is a condition for a government of progress and to avoid a government of the right and the ultra-right", he alleged. Not having a majority, his investiture program "must incorporate demands from other groups".
The leader of the PSOE admitted that he did not foresee the amnesty yet: "It is true that we did not plan it for now, it was not our plan for this moment. But one cannot always choose the moments in which the plans are made”.
"Courage also manifests itself by turning necessity into a virtue", he assured. In this way he assumed that he will make a virtue out of necessity, because the amnesty "is the only possible way for there to be a government in Spain and not to give Feijoo and Abascal a second chance". And because "I am certain that it will contribute to political normalization in Catalonia". Sánchez was determined to promote it, "with the certainty that its fit, as the socialists will propose, will be fully constitutional". Amnesty, he said, is a tool already used in other established democracies.
"It is a means to advance on the path of concord and reunion and political normalization between Catalonia and Spain." And the PSOE, he assured, now has the responsibility to take this step: "We cannot allow the past to close the doors to the future". "With the pardons first and now with the amnesty we will make many Catalans feel more identified with our common project", he stressed.
The federal committee approved, by acclamation, the question that will be asked of the militancy: "Do you support the agreement to form a government with Sumar and get the support of other political formations to achieve the necessary majority?". The consultation will take place electronically next week and will culminate on Saturday with the in-person vote. Up to 172,600 members of the PSOE, the PSC and the Youth have the right to vote.
The only "dissension" of weight was that of Emiliano García-Page. "We are also left alone with the absolute majority", they replied in their federation, since Page is already the only regional president of the PSOE with an absolute majority. Some criticized his attitude and accused him of being "disloyal". But he left as he had entered: "I have not found arguments to change my mind", concluded Page.
