Spanish election: Catalan separatists demand amnesty as the price for backing Sánchez

BRUSSELS — Separatist leader Carles Puigdemont on Monday laid down his conditions for supporting Pedro Sánchez’ bid to stay on as Spain’s prime minister: an amnesty to those involved in the 2017 illegal Catalan independence referendum.

Speaking to supporters in Brussels, where he has lived in self-imposed exile since fleeing Spain six years ago, the former president of the Catalonia region declared that “the end of the persecution of the independence movement is a matter of dignity.”

Puigdemont urged Sánchez, who is currently Spain’s caretaker leader, to order the country’s prosecutors to suspend their cases against those involved in the movement.

Although he did not explicitly demand Sánchez let him hold a second independence referendum, Puigdemont said that talks would hinge on “recognition and respect for the democratic legitimacy of the independence movement.”

“Self-determination is the recognition of the Catalan nation,” he added. “The Catalan people have that right.”

Last July’s national elections resulted in a hung parliament in which neither the left-wing or right-wing political blocs gained enough seats to control the 350-seat chamber. Without the votes of Puigdemont’s Junts party Sánchez will not be able to form a government and Spain will be heading for fresh elections.