(CN) — Spain's parliament on Thursday narrowly passed a controversial bill to grant amnesty to secessionist Catalan politicians and activists.
The bill's passage in the Congress of Deputies, Spain's powerful lower chamber, was a huge relief for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose fragile government hinges on the bill getting into law because he relies on support from Catalan parties. The measure squeaked by in a 178-172 vote.
In January, Sánchez's government tottered after a previous version of the amnesty bill was rejected in parliament after seven deputies with the hard-line Together for Catalonia party voted against the legislation. They worried it did not protect Carles Puigdemont, the party's self-exiled leader and former Catalan president, and others from charges of terrorism and treason.
Since then, the bill's language was changed to ease their concerns and Puigdemont said he hoped to be able to return to Spain once the law becomes final.
Granting Catalan separatists amnesty has divided the country. Polls show a majority of Spaniards oppose pardoning about 400 Catalan politicians, public officials, police officers and activists who were prosecuted or face prosecution for their involvement in the Catalan independence drive.
Spain's opposition parties, the center-right Popular Party and far-right Vox, have led mass protests against Sánchez, whom they accuse of cynically giving in to Catalan demands to stay in power.
During his reelection campaign Sánchez said he opposed amnesty because it was unconstitutional. In 2021, Sánchez pardoned several Catalan politicians and activists who had been convicted for their role in the independence drive.
After inconclusive elections last year, Sánchez's Socialists cobbled together a coalition government with the left-wing Sumar party only after winning support from Catalan and Basque separatists. At the same time, he shifted his position on amnesty and said it was necessary for solving the political tensions in Catalonia.
On Thursday, he made that same argument as he hailed the passage of the amnesty law.
He called it “a brave and necessary step” that opens “a new era of coexistence and prosperity in Catalonia.”
Before Thursday's vote, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the Popular Party, railed against the bill, describing it as “not reconciliation” but “submission.”
Oriol Junqueras, a Catalan politician convicted for his role in the independence drive and then pardoned, welcomed the lower chamber's vote.
“We have always wanted justice to prevail as soon as possible, and for me it will be a pleasure to meet again with all our comrades in exile,” he said on TVE, a Spanish public television channel.
The bill now goes to the Senate of Spain before it returns to the lower chamber for final passage. The Senate is controlled by the Popular Party, but any changes to the bill made in the upper chamber can be overruled by the lower chamber with an absolute majority vote.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels late Wednesday, Puigdemont said he hoped to be able to return to Spain by the end of May. To avoid prosecution, he fled to Belgium amid a crackdown by Spanish authorities on the Catalan independence movement. He has lived there since and serves as a a member of the European Parliament.
In Spain, two Spanish judges are pursuing terrorism and treason investigations against Puigdemont and others.
Since last November, Manuel García-Castellón, a national court judge, has pushed to charge Puigdemont and other Catalan leaders with terrorism for their involvement with Democratic Tsunami, a secretive group that organized demonstrations and actions — including the occupation of Barcelona's El Prat airport in October 2019 — to protest the prosecution of Catalan independence leaders.
Meanwhile, Joaquín Aguirre, a Barcelona judge who has investigated political corruption, is looking into accusations that Puigdemont sought the help of Russian officials to carry out his plans for Catalonian independence. In this case, Puigdemont faces accusations of high treason.
Puigdemont accuses the judges of pursuing politically motivated cases against him.
The amnesty law faces legal challenges in both Spanish and European courts.
Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.
Follow @cainburdeau
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