Lorraine Williamson
Pedro Sánchez’s grip on power is once again under threat — this time from the same Catalan party that helped secure his premiership. Junts per Catalunya, led by exiled former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, is signalling that patience with the Socialist-led government has all but run out. Their frustration cuts to the heart of Sánchez’s fragile coalition politics: promises made to secure parliamentary support appear, in their view, to have gone unfulfilled.
From immigration and regional investment to the amnesty deal and the recognition of Catalan as an EU language, Junts insists Madrid has dragged its feet. The party’s mounting criticism has now turned into a potential withdrawal of support — a move that could destabilise Sánchez’s already narrow majority and trigger a political crisis.
Growing unease in Catalonia
Tensions between Junts and the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) have been building for months. At the centre of the dispute is what Junts describes as Madrid’s repeated failure to honour its commitments to Catalonia.
Puigdemont’s allies accuse Sánchez of “empty symbolism” — making grand gestures but failing to deliver tangible change on the ground. Among their chief complaints is the stalled transfer of immigration powers to the Generalitat, a policy they say would give Catalonia real authority over migrant integration.
They are also frustrated by the lack of progress on recognising Catalan, Basque and Galician as official EU languages, despite months of negotiations with European partners. Meanwhile, long-standing grievances over Spain’s public investment distribution remain raw. In 2023, only 45% of funds allocated to Catalonia were actually spent, compared with more than double that in Madrid.
Puigdemont’s warning from exile
The strain came to a head during a series of pointed interventions by Puigdemont and his party spokespeople. Speaking from France in August, the former regional leader hinted that “political change” could arrive this autumn if the government failed to act.
By September, Junts MPs were openly criticising Sánchez in parliament. Spokesperson Miriam Nogueras accused the prime minister of “blocking or endlessly delaying” every commitment made to Catalonia. Her colleague Josep Maria Cruset went further, denouncing what he called the “draining of Catalonia to fatten Madrid”.
The rhetoric has since hardened. Nogueras told Congress last week that it was “time for change” — the clearest sign yet that Junts may be preparing to walk away from the agreement keeping Sánchez in office.
Perpignan meeting: the turning point
This weekend, Puigdemont gathered the Junts leadership in Perpignan, just across the French border, to decide how far they are willing to go. Monday’s full executive meeting is expected to determine whether the party withdraws from negotiations with the PSOE altogether. Such a decision would mean Junts no longer backs key legislation, including the upcoming national budget — effectively isolating Sánchez in parliament.
Party insiders say the leadership will also consult its grassroots members before making a final call, a move that underscores the high stakes for both sides.
A coalition on the edge
For Sánchez, the timing could hardly be worse. His government is already facing internal dissent, falling approval ratings, and criticism from within his own Socialist ranks. The Catalan amnesty law, once hailed as a bold step towards reconciliation, has become a political headache — both for the PSOE and for its partners in Congress.
If Junts pulls the plug, the consequences would be severe. Without their seven parliamentary votes, Sánchez’s minority government would struggle to pass legislation, including the 2026 national budget. While this alone would not automatically bring down the government, it would weaken it significantly — potentially forcing early elections if no new alliances can be forged.
The balance of power
The uneasy partnership between Madrid and the Catalan separatists has defined Spanish politics since Sánchez’s re-election in 2023. His ability to govern has depended on a web of deals with smaller regional parties, including Basque and Catalan nationalists. That strategy, while effective in the short term, has left him vulnerable to shifting loyalties.
For Junts, maintaining support for Sánchez has always been transactional — a means to advance Catalonia’s autonomy agenda. But as frustration grows, the calculus may be changing.
A nation watching closely
Spain’s political establishment is bracing for impact. Should Junts follow through on its threat, Sánchez would face one of the gravest tests of his premiership yet. For Catalonia, the decision will shape its relationship with Madrid for years to come. And for Spain, it could reopen the old wounds of division that have never fully healed since the independence referendum of 2017.
The coming weeks will reveal whether the partnership between Sánchez and Puigdemont’s party was a fragile convenience — or a genuine step towards political coexistence.
Source: El País