Proposed prison sentences for Catalan leaders cause political turmoil in Spain

The political consequences of the proposed prison sentences for Catalan leaders of up to 25 years are starting to be felt in Spain.

Nobody seems to be satisfied with the accusations presented on Friday by the public prosecutor and the solicitor general: neither pro-independence parties nor right-wing unionists.

Spanish president Pedro Sánchez is in the crossfire. His Catalan counterpart, Quim Torra, reacted to the prison requests by withdrawing his support from Sánchez and announcing that pro-independence parties will not back the general budget in a crucial parliamentary vote.

The leader of Spain’s ruling Socialist party in Catalonia, Miquel Iceta, said that linking the passing of the budget to the case against independence leaders is a "terrible mistake."