revenge and revenge Pedro SanchezThere are no constitutional principles. Spain’s prime minister wants to pardon Catalan separatist leaders who were sentenced by the judiciary to nine to 13 years in prison.
In 2017 he held an illegal independence referendum, declaring the region’s independence – and Spain So the state got into trouble. “There’s a moment for punishment and another moment for harmony,” says Sanchez. Now the time has come for reconciliation.
The prisoners, including high-ranking politicians, have been in custody for three and a half years. Catalans repeatedly asked for their release in demos, and there were occasional protests even during the pandemic.
Convicted Catalans show no remorse
Domestically, his release is highly risky for Pedro Sánchez: the convicts have no remorse. Supreme Court judges, the majority of the population, the opposition and even parts of his own party rejected it. Opposition leader Pablo Casado called them “treason against the people”. Casado believes that Sanchez only softened because his minority government in parliament depends on Catalan votes.
By releasing the prisoners, Sanchez is jeopardizing his political fortune. His government is not stable anyway, he has just been overtaken by the Conservatives in the elections. The release of the separatists has the potential to shape the rest of the legislative term – also because liberals, conservatives and right-wing extremists seek to protest together against them.
A pardon would refute separatist propaganda
For the country, however, especially the divided Catalan society, the pardon should be good news.
Sanchez wants the controversy to end through him Catalonia Calm down – let him sleep more. The harsh punishment of the judiciary helps to mobilize the separatist movement; However, pardoning the separatist leaders would only cut the heart of separatist propaganda.
Separatists have been claiming for years that madrid Like an authoritarian regime, brutally suppress the Catalans. In his story they are victims; His prison sentence has turned his leaders into martyrs. Now Sanchez wants to turn them back to who they really are: politicians who don’t have a majority for their radical vision of the future of Catalonia.
Even pro-independence advocates warn against pardon
Good time for forgiveness. The prisoners will be released soon. In barcelona took power with the leftist Republican Pere Aragonese, one of the more moderate separatists; He, too, is in favor of another independence referendum – but is at least interested in talks with Madrid.
Notably, some separatists also warn against pardons from their leaders. He fears it will be more difficult to mobilize his supporters in the future. The leader of the major separatist organization said the pardon could “politically disarm” the freedom movement ANC. Pedro Sanchez could not describe his plan better.
