Sánchez defends "the amnesty in Catalonia on behalf of Spain" because "it is the only way to have a Government"
“Of necessity, virtue”. It is the new mantra of the PSOE. Need: the 14 votes of ERC and Junts for Pedro Sánchez to be sworn in as president. Virtue: present the amnesty as a “contribution to political normalization in Catalonia”. Yes, because the PSOE until July 23, and even in the following days, maintained that this pardon was unconstitutional. But the results brought about the shift, the change of opinion, as Sánchez himself has recognized in the Federal Committee of the PSOE.. “The July 23 elections change things”. And now he defends himself and campaigns for amnesty, through the magic of the ballot box.. “In the name of Spain, in the interest of Spain, in defense of coexistence between Spaniards, today I defend amnesty in Catalonia,” he proclaimed.
For the first time, Sánchez stages this vehement defense, although he already took a first step at the European summit in Granada, escorted by representatives of the European institutions.. But now the taboo is definitely broken. The downhill slope of the pedagogy campaign begins, a symptom that the pact is practically closed, in the absence of the last details. And it's time to dose pills that facilitate digestion, both internally and externally.. At the same time, after months of silence, the attacks from the right are countered.
In the background, however, there is an irrefutable, firm reason, which the socialist leader himself demonstrates: “This is the only possible way for there to be a Government of Spain.”. Without amnesty there is no 14 votes for the PSOE from ERC (7) and Junts (7). And without the votes there is no investiture. Spain's interest, but, above all, political interest.
“This measure is a condition for there to be a Government of progress,” Sánchez admitted.. It is the first time that it makes explicit an evidence, an open secret: the background of the political decision to pardon is none other than the need for the independentists to facilitate their investiture and their governability. “It wasn't our plan for this moment, but you can't always choose the moments in which your plans are carried out”. Because the PSOE, Sánchez, was until now installed in silence, under the pretext of protecting the negotiation. But this is already heading towards the final stretch and, now, the socialist leadership understands that the time has come to undertake the defense
“Catalonia is ready for total reunion. The representatives of more than 80% of Catalans support this measure. And for those same reasons, in the name of Spain, in the interest of Spain, in defense of coexistence between Spaniards, today I defend the amnesty in Catalonia for the events that occurred in the last decade,” was Sánchez's proclamation before a capacity that has stood up to applaud. Except for Emiliano García-Page's entourage, who did not stand up to applaud.
The president of Castilla-La Mancha showed inside and outside his rejection of the amnesty. “The president has taken the step of directly addressing the problem that everyone is talking about in Spain and that was not addressed, which is that of the amnesty. “I disagree openly, sincerely,” he said at the exit.. Behind closed doors, in the plenary session, sources close to him explained that his argument was about the fact that it is not only that the amnesty fits in the Constitution, “but the clash with our political project.”. “There are no guarantees that the independence movement will give up returning to the starting point.”
In some places, given the prospect that the water could get worse, and in order to avoid flooding, sandbags are usually placed to prevent leaks.. In the PSOE, this Saturday they place the bags as a question to the party's bases, which includes in its formulation whether they support the socialist candidate reaching parliamentary agreements with other political forces to achieve investiture and governability.. That is, asking about the amnesty without mentioning the amnesty.
“Do you support the agreement to form a government with Sumar and achieve the support of other political formations to achieve the necessary majority?” is the question approved by the party Executive.. The consultation will last a week, will begin on Monday, and can be voted electronically and also in person next Saturday, November 4 at all PSOE headquarters throughout the country.. For Page, for example, it is more like the “scratch game that you have to play to find out exactly the question.”
Disable critics
Faced with critical voices, precisely like that of Page – who already at the entrance to the conclave has expressed his rejection of forgiveness and the formulation of the question to the bases -, the socialist candidate has drawn up a strategy to try to deactivate that opposition and annul possible attempts at rebellion or fire.
First, he has placed socialist militancy as a legitimized lighthouse of the party: “This party belongs to the militants. “They are the ones who choose their course to follow with their free and democratic vote.”. Sánchez has presented “an exemplary, sovereign and autonomous militancy. And, most importantly, he never fails when asked to step forward.”. The truth is that the consultation is called blindly, without offering details about the negotiation or the fine print about the amnesty, but knowing that there would be a closing of ranks in the highest decision-making body of the PSOE.
Page, upon his arrival at the Federal Committee. WORLD
Secondly, he has presented his “dialogue for reunion” as an argument that no one can argue. In his opinion, measures such as pardons or now the amnesty cause “the fracture to be left behind”. “Not even the most recalcitrant can deny that the situation is infinitely better than in 2017”. “No matter how much effort I put in, I would never change the minds of those who think that we are doing it because of the need to have the votes for the investiture.”. I want to tell all of them that courage is also manifested by making a Spanish saying come true: you have to make a virtue out of necessity.”
The amnesty “is not the end of the road”
First the pardons, now the amnesty. But Sánchez does not stop there. “We always knew that overcoming the conflict required grace measures in the future because those wounds could not be left open forever.”
“The amnesty is not an end in itself, nor is it the end of the path. It is a path to advance on the path of reunion and harmony between Catalans and between Catalans and Spaniards.” Socialist sources later clarified that they were not referring to paving the way for a referendum. And he added: “Our responsibility as politicians is to take that step. That is why I ask for your support and trust to take it.”