Pro-independence Junts urge president to change course or call elections

Junts per Catalunya have urged Catalan president Pere Aragonès to not "waste more time" and "change course" in his strategy to achieve independence for Catalonia. 

The pro-independence party that withdrew from the governing coalition in October 2022 outlined its position during Wednesday's general policy debate.

"In the face of a government that is paralyzed, with huge weaknesses, inefficient management and with a lack of credibility for negotiations with the [Spanish] state, it can only make sense to continue the legislature to the end if there is a change of course," said Albert Batet, head of the party in parliament.

If not, Batet warned, "you will only have the inevitable alternative of calling elections."

"Try not to have a completely failed legislature: either rectification or elections," Batet warned, adding "don't waste any more time."

Meanwhile, Aragonès called on Junts to "share the table of negotiations" with Spain and for the "who attends those meetings, not to be the problem," he said in reference to the party's request for non-cabinet members of the party to attend such meetings while Junts was still the junior coalition partner of the Catalan government.

"We should be taking advantage of the opportunity, I will be doing whatever is in my power," Aragonès added while asking his former cabinet colleagues to "stop looking to the past."

Junts, together with Aragonès' party ERC, should "take advantage of the leverage that seven plus seven pro-independence MPs in congress brings, in order to advance the resolution of the conflict," the president said.

CUP criticizes self-determination strategy

MP for the far-left pro-independence party CUP, Laia Estrada, said that in "the current negotiation framework" there is no way to achieve self-determination.

"Neither now nor in the future, if they maintain their strategy", she said during her speech in the Catalan chamber.

The anti-capitalist party addressed fellow pro-independence groups ERC and Junts, criticizing them as "subordinates" to Madrid that have given up defending Catalonia's sovereignty.

Regarding the potential amnesty for figures who have sought independence, Estrada called on ERC and Junts to recover the approach of linking amnesty with the right to self-determination.

"It is the way to guarantee that we are not only facing a decriminalization measure," she said.

"In the current framework for negotiations, there is no way to gain recognition for the right to self-determination," Laia Estrada said.

In his response, Aragonès guaranteed his own "commitment" to use "all available tools" to work towards amnesty and the Catalan independence referendum.