Pro-independence Junts to veto all Spanish government-proposed laws in Congress

The Catalan pro-independence Junts party has submited vetoes to all the proposed laws that the Socialists, left-wing Sumar, and the Spanish government have registered in Congress.

Junts has filed full amendments to 25 different projects and will do the same with nine more laws that have already been approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers but have not yet begun their parliamentary proceedings.

Spain is governed by a coalition, led by the Socialists with left-wing Sumar as the junior partner.

The pro-independence party will not approve the 21 laws that are almost at the end of their parliamentary budget, and will not back the 2026 spending plan project, which is still to be announced.

Junts' spokesperson in Congress, Míriam Nogueras, said that they are pressuring the Socialists and Sumar to "face reality" and force PM Pedro Sánchez to either "comply with Catalonia" or see his term "blocked."

Nogueras comments come after a recent decision by party members to break all ties with the Socialists.

On October 30, a total of 87% of the members who took part in the party's internal vote backed their party moving to the opposition, after 66% of those eligible to vote cast their ballots.

Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party have been in power with a minority government since 2023, thanks to deals brokered with seven other parties, all of whom, including Junts, are 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.

"Catalans do not live from headlines and broken promises," Nogueras said during a statement on Thursday in Congress.

"If we reach a deal, it has to be achieved; if not, we cannot continue supporting [the government]," she added.

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 in late October that a "deal cannot go through if agreements are not achieved, therefore it is a broken deal."

The 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.

Madrid extends hand to Junts

Madrid offered an "outstretched hand" on Thursday in response to Junts' decision to block government legislation.

"The government fulfills its commitments. We always have. Those initiatives that depend exclusively on the executive have already been completed or are in the process of being implemented," government sources said shortly after Nogueras' comments. 

The Spanish government emphasized that it remains committed to dialogue and cooperation with "all parliamentary groups willing to improve citizens' lives, both in Catalonia and across Spain."

"Regarding commitments that do not depend solely on the government, we are working without delay to ensure they are fulfilled," the statement added.