The Catalan separatist party Junts has formally introduced a parliamentary measure urging Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez to submit to a motion of confidence, a move that underscores the tensions within his fragile minority government. As Junts leader Carles Puigdemont puts it, Sánchez has failed to deliver on key commitments made during negotiations that secured their support for his premiership.
Puigdemont, speaking from Brussels where he resides in self-imposed exile, acknowledged that the measure is not binding but serves as a political warning. “We have been generous and patient, but it is time for Sánchez to show accountability,” RAC1 quotes Puigdemont as saying. He accused Sánchez of a “lack of political will” to honour agreements, including advancing Catalan as an official EU language and granting full amnesty to Catalan leaders involved in the illegal 2017 independence bid.
Junts’ seven parliamentary votes are pivotal for Sánchez’s socialist-led government, particularly for passing the delayed 2025 budget. Failure to secure this support could compel the government to rely on rolled-over 2023 spending plans, creating economic and political instability.
While Sánchez maintains he has “neither intention nor need” to submit to a confidence vote—a rare move in Spanish democracy—Puigdemont has warned that ignoring the request could lead to Junts withdrawing all backing. Reuters says the motion is expected to pass with support from the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and VOX, although Sánchez is constitutionally allowed to disregard it.
The motion has drawn mixed reactions across Spain’s political spectrum. The PP, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has called the legislature “exhausted” and urged Sánchez to call early elections. Feijóo criticised Sánchez for what he described as endless concessions to separatists, arguing it undermines national unity.
VOX, a national conservative party, dismissed the premise of the motion as “absurd” but will still likely support it in a vote. “It is nonsense to expect Sánchez to willingly subject himself to scrutiny,” said José Antonio Fúster, VOX’s national spokesman, according to El Debate. VOX has been a vocal critic of Sánchez, often accusing him of undermining Spain’s identity and institutions. The party has expressed scepticism about the ability of any confidence motion to alter the government’s direction.
Meanwhile, the far-left Sumar party, a coalition partner in Sánchez’s government, described Junts’ demands as “misplaced” and called for a focus on negotiating the state budget and addressing housing crises.
Even within Catalonia, Puigdemont’s push faces criticism. Catalan Republican Left (ERC), a rival pro-independence party, said the motion could lead to a PP-VOX coalition government coming to power, which would be much tougher on separatists.
Sánchez faces mounting pressure to balance competing demands from coalition partners and separatists while maintaining a stable government. As the debate on the confidence motion looms in early 2025, the outcome will likely shape the remainder of Sánchez’s term, potentially forcing difficult compromises or opening the door to political realignment.
