Spain Court Upholds Catalan Separatist Amnesty Law

Spain's Constitutional Court upheld the controversial Catalan amnesty law by a 6-4 vote, validating the Socialist government's effort to withdraw legal actions against over 300 Catalan separatists involved in the 2017 independence referendum. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised the ruling as essential for restoring unity, coexistence, and political stability in Spain, emphasizing that the law was democratically debated and constitutionally valid. The court rejected the conservative People's Party's (PP) appeal, which labeled the law as an unconstitutional self-amnesty and a political deal to secure Sánchez's minority government support from Catalan separatists. However, the court limited the amnesty's scope to events between 2011 and 2023 and confirmed that it must apply to individuals opposing the independence movement as well. The ruling does not directly benefit separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, whose case involves separate embezzlement charges and remains under judicial consideration. The decision highlights ongoing divisions in Spain, with the opposition denouncing the law as a corrupt trade-off, while the left-leaning majority in the court supported parliamentary sovereignty in granting amnesty.