Catalan vice president asks Socialists to find a solution for jailed leaders

Catalan vice president Pere Aragonès, of Esquerra Republicana, has asked the Socialists to find a solution for the 9 jailed pro-independence leaders in an interview with La Vanguardia newspaper: "That should also be brought up at the negotiating table."

According to Aragonès, Esquerra and the Socialists are still "far from an agreement" that must be reached in order to safeguard Pedro Sánchez's presidential bid as his party failed to obtain an absolute majority in the November 10 snap general election.

"We will decide whether we'll move from our initial 'no' after talks are over. It will depend on [agreed upon] content: talks between [the Spanish and Catalan] governments where everything can be discussed according to a schedule with guarantees that everything that's agreed on will be carried out," Aragonès maintained as essential for his party's support.

In the interview, the politician also stated that the imprisonment of the independence leaders was a form of "repression" as they have been "sentenced in a completely unfair manner."

Socialists urge Esquerra to back Sánchez

Spain's acting development minister, José Luis Ábalos, called on Esquerra to reach an agreement with his party while attending the Socialist party's Catalan branch's 14^th convention this weekend.

If Esquerra fails to back Sánchez's presidency, Ábalos believes "there will be no chance for dialogue" on Catalonia.

Ábalos stated that there is an "opportunity" to solve the "conflict" politically and suggested that if an agreement is not reached now, it may not be able to be achieved further down the line.