Sánchez and the "historic opportunity" for Catalonia
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took a step on Tuesday to try to salvage a legislature that is teetering dangerously just past its midpoint. unprecedented statementsSánchez admitted the "breaches and delays" of his agreement with Junts and promised to get to work to rectify the situation. It is unusual for a politician to openly engage in self-criticism, especially since the PSOE had previously denied these breaches and simply stated that it was working to fulfill the agreements. However, Sánchez has realized that he needs to mend the relationship with Junts if he wants to serve out his term. This is not so much to pass a budget that is neither in place nor expected, but rather to be able to pass some laws that will allow him to maintain the current narrative that the legislature is progressing despite an extremely difficult context.
In any case, Sánchez's statement demonstrates that the Spanish president is willing to take a hard line to serve out his term, a circumstance that Junts, and also ERC, should take advantage of for the benefit of Catalonia. The coming months will be crucial for him to become a politician for both Catalonia and Spain. The return of Carles Puigdemont to Catalonia after almost a decade of exile could take place in the first quarter of 2026, and the figures for the new financing model must also be made public. That is why Sánchez spoke of a "historic opportunity," addressing himself especially to Carles Puigdemont.
The Spanish president's maneuver demonstrates his political fragility and, at the same time, his dependence on Catalan parties. Let us remember that Sánchez was invested with the votes of the PSC, Comuns, ERC, and Junts—that is, the entire spectrum of traditional Catalan nationalism, which on June 23rd represented 40 out of 48 seats. There is no doubt, then, that Catalonia was key to the defeat of the PP and Vox in 2023.
The main achievements of this legislative session so far are the amnesty law, which the judiciary has blocked for the main defendants, and gestures such as the use of all official languages in Congress. However, some significant political decision is still lacking to demonstrate that Sánchez is truly willing to strengthen Catalonia's self-government and, therefore, the State, which resists any change. Some steps have been taken in the area of commuter rail, but other agencies, such as the Tax Agency and Aena (the Spanish airport authority), remain just as centralized.
When Sánchez speaks of a historic opportunity, he shouldn't refer only to the amnesty, but rather address the root of the problem, which is none other than the centralist and Jacobin nature of a state that seeks resources for its center and stifles territories that, like Catalonia, aspire to self-governance. And that's why a first step in the right direction would be the publication of the fiscal balances, as requested by Junts.
