Junts members vote to break ties with Socialists

Members of Catalan pro-independence party Junts per Catalunya have approved their leadership's decision to break ties with Spain's ruling Socialists, putting Pedro Sánchez's government in an extremely delicate position in the Spanish Congress.

A total of 87% of the members who took part in the party's internal vote this week backed their party moving to the opposition, while 66% of those eligible to vote cast their ballots. 

Just 10% voted against their leadership's decision to break ties with the Socialists, and 2.80% abstained.

Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party have been in charge with a minority government since 2023, thanks to deals brokered with seven other parties, all of whom, including Junts, necessary to reach a majority in the Spanish Congress. Now, without that majority secured, it will be significantly more difficult for the Socialists to rule.

According to sources from the pro-independence party, they will vote in Congress for what they consider to be in accordance with their electoral program, without any negotiation or conversation with the Socialists.

The proposal approved on Thursday by the Junts national executive involves suspending the monthly meetings with the Socialists in both Switzerland, where some meetings had taken place, and also in the Congress.

Junts leaders had been expected to speak to analyze the results of the consultation, but in the end, no press conference was held. 

In a social media post, Junts president Carles Puigdemont said that the consultation process demonstrates the strength of the party.

"We are concerned about the country and we are concerned about its people," he added, while also thanking party members who took part in the vote.  

"Breaches" of agreements

Carles Puigdemont's party considers that the Socialists have committed "breaches" of the agreement that secured Pedro Sánchez's reelection as Spanish PM.

The former Catalan president said on Monday that a "deal cannot go through if agreements are not achieved, therefore it is a broken deal."

Puigdemont spoke for around 30 minutes upon announcing the leadership's unanimous decision, and gave a detailed explanation of the several deadlines and agreements both the Socialists and Junts have been through.

"Unlike other parties, I insist that Junts is not open to continuing to help a government that does not help Catalonia. Nor this nor any other government.  Our political project is not based on maintaining stability in Spain. If it works for Catalonia, let’s talk about it. If not, goodbye," he said.

The Spanish government has made several moves recently to pacify relations, such as the joint statement with the German government to study the possibility of making Catalan an official EU language, a step that has not convinced Puigdemont's party. 

Rising tensions

Monday's decision came after months of back-and-forth between the two parties, with Junts claiming that many initial agreements have not been fulfilled.

These include the full implementation of the amnesty law, not applied to Puigdemont, and the recognition of Catalan as an official EU language, a long-stalled issue in Brussels.

Last week in Congress, Junts spokesperson Míriam Nogueras raised the rhetoric against Sánchez.

She accused the Spanish PM of focusing on issues such as time zone changes or the conflict in Palestine while ignoring commitments made to the pro-independence party in 2023.

Nogueras also criticized his government for "persecuting" the self-employed and "blocking" Junts' legislative initiatives on squatting and repeat offenders.

"We should talk less about changing the clocks and start talking about how it's time for real change," she told the PM.