Junts withdraws Congress support for Spanish government until 'crisis' is resolved

The leader of the pro-independence party Junts, Carles Puigdemont, announced on Friday that he is suspending negotiations with the ruling Socialists until the "political crisis" is resolved.

"We have an agreement that is not being fulfilled," he said during a press conference in Brussels, referring to the pact between the two parties that secured support for Pedro Sánchez's appointment as PM.

Puigdemont also announced that he has called for an "urgent" and "extraordinary" meeting with the mediator in Switzerland overseeing negotiations between the two parties.

The move follows Spain's Congress Bureau postponing a decision for the second time on a Junts proposal that would require Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez to undergo a vote of confidence.

Puigdemont said that this decision shows the Socialists have realized that Junts "is serious" and that the "risk of a rupture is real," which is why the Socialists have postponed the decision rather than dismissing it.

"Slamming the door on our proposal was not a good idea, and they have corrected it," he said, adding that the "no decision" by the Socialists is, in itself, a decision.

But despite severing ties with the Socialists, Puigdemont said that the suspension only applies to "sectorial" matters and that they will continue to negotiate on issues that "concern Catalonia."

"We will not sit down to negotiate the budget. If there are decrees to approve, they cannot count on us," he said after meeting with the party leadership.

In practical terms, the announcement means Junts is withdrawing its support in Congress for measures requiring their approval, including the budgets and reforms like reducing the workweek, as their votes are crucial to the Socialist majority.

This decision will stall the Socialist government's actions, forcing them to progress in fulfilling the agreements made between the two parties.

Among the demands from Junts that they claim the Socialists have not fulfilled are the full implementation of the amnesty law –Puigdemont and others are still wanted by Spanish courts – the transfer of migration powers to Catalonia, and making Catalan an official language in the European Union.

"If the agreement is not respected in letter and spirit, things will not go well," Puigdemont warned.

One possibility that this new scenario opens is a meeting between Puigdemont and Sánchez. However, the Catalan pro-independence leader has not made it a priority.

"Sánchez does not need to meet with me to unblock the situation. I would be pleased to receive him, but this move is not aimed at Sánchez meeting with me," he said.

But despite the crisis with the Socialists, Puigdemont once again ruled out supporting a possible no-confidence vote put forward by the conservative People's Party.

Spanish government calls for dialogue 

Spain's Minister of the Presidency, Fèlix Bolaños, said that the Spanish government will comply with the agreements reached with Junts and maintain "dialogue" to regain the confidence of Carles Puigdemont's party. 

Speaking in Valladolid on Friday after Puigdemont's comments, the minister said the way to resolve "discrepancies" like the current one is through "dialogue, agreements and work." 

The government, Bolaños said, is committed to always making an effort with the aim of "bringing positions closer together" to "keep moving forward." 

Another government source also said that, despite Puigdemont's announcement, "nothing has been broken." "We are where we were," they added. 

The first vice-president of the Spanish government, María Jesús Montero, also defended the executive's efforts. 

"This government is inexhaustible in its capacity for agreement and dialogue." 

"We have to talk a lot, build dialogue, build trust", she said. "We will continue to work with Junts and the other parties so that these circumstances can occur."