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Carles Puigdemont, leader of Junts per Catalunya and a central figure in the Catalan independence movement, has issued a political challenge to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Puigdemont, who remains in exile as a fugitive from Spanish justice after the illegal October 1, 2017 referendum, has, through his party members, submitted a non-binding resolution (PNL) in the Spanish Congress urging Sánchez to face a vote of confidence. Although the initiative lacks legal force, its potential political ramifications could destabilize the already fragile parliamentary majority supporting Sánchez’s government.
The vote of confidence, regulated under Articles 112 and 114 of the Spanish Constitution, is a mechanism allowing the Prime Minister to voluntarily subject their leadership to parliamentary scrutiny, seeking confirmation of the chamber’s support. If the lower house denies confidence, the Prime Minister must resign, initiating a process to appoint a new head of government. The decision to trigger this mechanism lies solely with the Prime Minister, who must consult the Council of Ministers—though their opinion is non-binding.
In this case, Junts aims to compel Congress to urge Sánchez to invoke this tool, forcing him to gauge the support of his allies a year after his investiture. The proposal will be debated in the new legislative session starting in early 2025, requiring all parliamentary groups to take a position.
Junts’ resolution emerges at a time of escalating tension between the pro-independence party and the government. Puigdemont accuses Sánchez of failing to honor agreements made to secure his investiture, including commitments regarding the official recognition of Catalan in the European Union, the approval of an Amnesty Law for those involved in the procés, and the transfer of specific powers to Catalonia.
This maneuver serves multiple purposes for Junts. On one hand, it seeks to pressure the government into fulfilling its promises. On the other, it puts Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), the other major pro-independence Catalan party, in a difficult position. Puigdemont forces ERC to choose between supporting the resolution or continuing to back the socialist government, thereby exposing strategic differences between the two parties.
The initiative also aligns with the confrontational stance adopted by Junts during its recent congress, where the party reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining tension with the Spanish state. For Puigdemont, the presentation of the PNL represents a “turning point” in relations with Sánchez, making it clear that his party will not support a government they perceive as unwilling to advance solutions to the “Catalan conflict.”
While the PNL is non-binding, its approval could carry significant political weight. If the initiative garners support from parties like the PP and Vox, achieving an absolute majority in Congress, it would send a clear message: a substantial portion of the lower house believes Sánchez should submit to a vote of confidence.
Nonetheless, the Prime Minister is not obligated to heed such a request. Ignoring it, while legally valid, could be perceived as a sign of weakness or as a strategy to avoid a direct confrontation. Conversely, accepting the challenge would expose Sánchez to a parliamentary debate with an unpredictable outcome, given the fragmented and volatile nature of the current political landscape.
Puigdemont’s move also highlights the complexity of relationships among the parties supporting the government. Sánchez’s reliance on factions with vastly different agendas—such as Junts, ERC, and Bildu—turns every decision into a delicate balancing act. In this context, Junts’ initiative underscores the internal tensions within Sánchez’s coalition and the inherent difficulty of maintaining stable governance.
Moreover, the proposal raises broader questions about the capacity of Spain’s political system to ensure effective governance in a context of parliamentary fragmentation. The current dynamic, in which ad-hoc agreements dictate the government’s trajectory, hampers the possibility of building broad and sustainable consensus.
Junts’ non-binding resolution introduces another layer of uncertainty to a legislative term already marked by polarization and a lack of clear majorities. While the proposal does not compel Pedro Sánchez to face a vote of confidence, the political challenge is undeniable. For the Prime Minister, every step in addressing this situation will be crucial. Ignoring the resolution could cement the perception that he avoids accountability amid growing dissatisfaction among his allies.
The outcome of this initiative will depend on the stances taken by various political actors, but it undeniably reflects the inherent tensions in a fragmented parliamentary system. It also highlights a government beholden to small pro-independence factions and the difficulty of ensuring stable governance in a political context as fraught as Spain’s today.