PP tried to strike investiture deal with Junts before Sánchez reelection

The conservative People's Party (PP) held a meeting with the Catalan pro-independence party Junts after Spain's inconclusive general election to explore a possible deal, La Vanguardia newspaper revealed. 

Despite winning the most seats in the elections, PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo fell far short of a majority, even counting the support of far-right Vox. 

While trying to gain support from other parties to be appointed prime minister, it has now emerged that PP representatives met with representatives of the party of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont. 

The meeting, which took place on August 17 at the Alma Hotel in Barcelona, was attended by the leader of the PP in Barcelona, Daniel Sirera, and political advisor Xavier Domínguez on behalf of the PP, as well as Junts spokesperson Josep Rius and parliamentarian Albert Batet, representing Junts.  

In an interview with RAC1 radio, Daniel Sirera explained that Junts demanded an amnesty law and an independence referendum, which made the negotiations "impossible". He said that Junts' requests were "absolutely unfeasible," and clarified that Feijóo was not informed of the meeting beforehand. 

Reacting to the news, sources close to Junts have told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that the meeting "was not official, but informal and at the request of the PP." 

The Socialist Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, accused the PP of "deceiving" citizens by not explaining their contacts with Junts.

"They accuse us of acting outside the Constitution, but the PSOE does everything within the Constitution, and it is others who deceive and hide their contacts," he said. 

After ruling out negotiations with Junts following the meeting, Feijóo attempted to become prime minister in September but failed to garner enough support.   

In November, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez was reelected after striking a deal with Junts and Esquerra that included the approval of an amnesty law for the Catalan independence movement.

Why is the PP-Junts meeting important? 

The PP has strongly criticized the agreement the Socialists made with Catalan pro-independence parties Junts and Esquerra to support Pedro Sánchez's bid to become prime minister.  

The controversial agreement included the approval of an amnesty law that would benefit hundreds of people involved in the 2017 independence push.

Now that it has emerged that the PP has also held talks with Junts, the Socialists claim that the conservatives' criticism of their deal with Junts has lost credibility.