Pro-independence Esquerra warn Socialists that talks concern PM bid, not full term 

Pro-independence party Esquerra Republicana (ERC) have warned Spain's Socialists that the ongoing negotiations between the two parties concern the reelection of Pedro Sánchez as prime minister, and not support for a full term. 

ERC's spokesperson in Congress, Gabriel Rufián, said the party would take it "one game at a time." 

Any agreed pact, therefore, might not mean support for the next budget, for example. 

Sticking with his football metaphor, Rufián said: "The investiture is one game, and the budget is another game."

"We will be demanding, reasonable and responsible" because "it would be an act of divination to presume that voting for a Socialist prime minister means supporting a budget."  

"ERC doesn't swap our cards, and we think it's better to go week by week," Rufián added.

Recalling that ERC abstained during Sánchez's Prime Ministerial bid four years ago, Rufían said: "we are negotiating over the investiture, not for the legislature." 

"We always try to improve the government's legislative agenda, but that does not mean that a full term can be agreed upon today." 

Amnesty, referendum, fiscal deficit 

The ERC spokesperson made the comments to media following an hour-long meeting on Wednesday with Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez, who is currently talking to several parties in an attempt to gain support for another term as Spanish Prime Minister following July's inconclusive general election. 

Rufián reiterated the three axes of ERC's requests: an amnesty, a referendum and measures regarding Catalonia's fiscal deficit and the Rodalies commuter train network. The party will not relegate one of the three axes in favor of another, he said. 

These requests are "more country than party", he added, because "practically everyone in Catalonia can be in favor" of them. 

Junqueras-Sánchez call 

The meeting between Rufián and Sánchez was preceded by a call on Wednesday morning between the Socialist leader and Oriol Junqueras, the leader of Esquerra Republicana. 

The fact that the two leaders spoke on the phone was "normal, good and healthy" Rufián said, and he would view a conversation between Sánchez and former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont similarly. 

Puigdemont has been living in exile in Belgium since the 2017 independence push but Junts, the party he founded, are also key to Sánchez's prime ministerial bid. 

Sumar's amnesty report 

As for Sumar's amnesty report, presented in Barcelona on Tuesday, Rufián took the opportunity to remind Yolanda Díaz's party that ERC "does not need intermediaries to talk to the Socialists." 

While he welcomed that Sumar is "talking about the resolution of the conflict," the amnesty proposal "rings a bell", because "it is the same one we proposed in 2021."  

Spanish left-wing Sumar are likely to be the junior partner in a Socialist-led coalition government, if Sánchez wins his election bid. 

Socialists want four-year government

In contrast to Rufián's comments, the Socialists' Congress spokesperson said the party were negotiating an agreement for a full term, not just for the prime ministerial vote. 

"We want a four-year government" with a progressive agenda, "and that is what we will negotiate with all the parties except [far-right] Vox," Patxi López said.

López also insisted the Socialists "will not travel down paths that lead to division and confrontation," in reference to ERC's demands for a referendum. 

He views the phone conversation between Sánchez and Junqueras as a sign of normality, "consistent" with the Spanish government's policy regarding Catalonia, and, for now, "he is not aware" that a conversation between the acting Spanish Prime Minister and Carles Puigdemont is planned.