Junts urge Socialists for new bill on pensions and transport subsidies after Congress defeat

Pro-independence party calls for Catalan in Europe, political amnesty, and powers over immigration to straighten out relations

Jordi Turull, general secretary of Catalan pro-independence party Junts
Jordi Turull, general secretary of Catalan pro-independence party Junts / Neus Bertola / Nia Escolà
Catalan News

Catalan News | @catalannews | Barcelona

January 23, 2025 01:29 PM

January 23, 2025 01:47 PM

Leading figures from Catalan pro-independence party Junts have urged Spain's ruling Socialists to table a new bill on the revaluation of pensions and public transport subsidies a day after the Spanish Congress defeated an omnibus bill containing those measures and more. 

Jordi Turull, general secretary of Catalan pro-independence party Junts, has announced that they will present a bill in Congress to recover the pensions and transport subsidies if the Socialists do not do so themselves “in the next few hours.”

Party president Carles Puigdemont also urged the Socialists to convene an extraordinary cabinet meeting to approve specific points of the bill. "Enough lying and playing with pensioners and public transport subsidies," he added in a message on Instagram.

In an interview with Catalan public broadcasters TV3, Turull urged Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez to convene a meeting with his cabinet to address the issue, and accused the Socialist leader of not doing so because “he prioritizes the political wear and tear of the adversary.”

Turull said that the Socialists had promised they would not present another omnibus decree incorporating numerous measures in the one bill again, and reiterated that Junts will not “play into their blackmail.”

He pointed out that this omnibus decree, while was rejected on Wednesday in Congress, included measures that were “incompatible” with Junts, such as a measure that extends the evictions of vulnerable families.

Turull insisted that his party is in favor of some of the measures of this bill, such as the revaluation of pensions or public transport subsidies, but explained that his party had already warned the Socialists that they would vote against the omnibus bill if they were all included together.

The party general secretary announced that Junts will present a proposal to recover the revaluation of pensions and rental subsidies if the Socialist Party itself doesn't do so in the coming hours. “The solution is simple, if they present it, we will vote in favor, and if not, we will do it ourselves. What we are not in favor of is mixing turnips with cabbages,” he pointed out.

In turn, he places importance on a full political amnesty for the independence leaders convicted for their roles in the 2017 referendum, the transfer of powers on immigration to Catalan authorities, and the official status of the Catalan language in Europe to straighten relations with the Socialists.

Catalan president: Junts made 'serious mistake'

Catalan president Salvador Illa, of the Socialist Party, accused Junts of "making a serious mistake" after they and the right-wing People's Party overturned the omnibus bill on Wednesday.

"They made a political mistake, in rivals and in allies," the Catalan president said at the closing of the congress of trade union UGT in Mataró.

Catalan president Salvador Illa speaking at the congress of trade union UGT in Mataró
Catalan president Salvador Illa speaking at the congress of trade union UGT in Mataró / Albert Segura

"Yesterday. some preferred to vote with the most extreme right, and this harms Catalans with smaller pensions, a lower minimum wage, and more expensive public transport," he added.

Illa urged "reflection" and a commitment to a "useful policy" that benefits Catalans from Junts. "When parties do not fulfill this role, democracy suffers," he said.

According to Illa, Junts did not fulfill their duty, which, he added, is "to defend Catalonia and improve the lives of Catalans."

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