Catalan separatists will break Spain’s political deadlock by abstaining from coming vote
- Spain was without proper government for most of 2019 after two inconclusive elections
- The Socialist Party needs the pro-independence group to at least abstain to secure Pedro Sanchez’s confirmation in office
A Catalan separatist party said on Thursday that it would abstain during the Spanish parliament’s upcoming vote to confirm Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez as prime minister, potentially ending the prolonged national political deadlock.
Spain was without proper government for most of 2019 after two inconclusive elections and Sanchez’s Socialist Party needs the pro-independence Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) to at least abstain to secure his confirmation in office.
The investiture vote is due between January 4 and 7.
The ERC said it would refrain from voting after the Socialists committed to an open dialogue on secessionists’ wishes for Catalonia, which would then be submitted to a citizens’ vote in the wealthy northern region.
At a news conference, ERC official Pere Aragones also said his party told the leader of Catalonia’s regional government it would push for a new independence referendum in conversations with central government.