Highlights: Tens of thousands of Spaniards demonstrated in Madrid, Plaza de España, to protest against the law. The law provides for an amnesty for Catalan separatists prosecuted for the aborted attempt at secession in 2017. The future law, counterpart to the re-election of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is presented to Congress on Tuesday January 30. “ Between amnesty and democracy, we must choose, and we choose democracy.” This is one of the main slogans that we heard in Madrid.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards demonstrated in Madrid, Plaza de España, to protest against the law which provides for an amnesty for Catalan separatists prosecuted for the aborted attempt to...

Spain: the amnesty of Catalan separatists in 2017 is not unanimous

Tens of thousands of Spaniards demonstrated in Madrid, Plaza de España, to protest against the law which provides for an amnesty for Catalan separatists prosecuted for the aborted attempt at secession in 2017. The demonstration, called by the Popular Party (PP , right) brought together 45,000 people, according to the Madrid prefecture. The future law, counterpart to the re-election of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is presented to Congress on Tuesday January 30.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards gathered in the heart of Madrid to protest against the amnesty law for Catalan separatists prosecuted for the aborted 2017 secession attempt, on January 28, 2024. AFP - OSCAR DEL POZO

By: RFI Follow

“

Between amnesty and democracy, we must choose, and we choose democracy

.” This is one of the main slogans that we heard in Plaza de España in Madrid, says RFI correspondent in Madrid,

François Musseau.

Read alsoPedro Sánchez, the balancing act of Spanish politics

Many waved blood and gold flags and claimed that the amnesty for Catalan separatist leaders constitutes a betrayal on the part of the socialist

Pedro Sanchez

, in power. We notably saw

Alberto Nuñez Feijoo

, the leader of the conservative right, for whom, “

the Sanchez government is a group of diverse and varied interests, which will fall sooner rather than later

”. Before adding: “

we are going to save this country in a democratic way

”.

Above all, we had the impression of attending a pre-electoral meeting for the European elections next June, where the right hopes to score well. In the eyes of the demonstrators, Pedro Sanchez,

represented by a giant doll

hung by his feet, would be determined to sell Spain to the Basque and Catalan separatists. With this demonstration, the right is puffing out its chest. But for now, she is agitating against a power which, this Tuesday, January 30, should be able to pass its famous amnesty law.

Read alsoPedro Sánchez, the balancing act of Spanish politics

The possible return to Spain of

Carles Puigdemont

, the former head of the Catalan regional government during the 2017 Catalan secession attempt and who has lived in Belgium for seven years, worries some demonstrators. For some, it is “an insult”. Others regret that Carles Puigdemont could thus escape justice, “

I have no words, he is a guy who has been convicted

”.

When it is voted on and promulgated, probably not for several months, the amnesty law will allow, within two months, the lifting of proceedings against hundreds of activists and independence leaders indicted for their role in the secession attempt. from 2017.

This law promised by Pedro Sanchez allowed him to be reappointed as head of government in mid-November 2023 for a new four-year term thanks to the votes of the deputies of the two separatist parties of Catalonia, who had made it the condition of their support.

Spain: the amnesty of Catalan separatists in 2017 is not unanimous

Spain: the amnesty of Catalan separatists in 2017 is not unanimous

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