Spain amnesty ‘not if but how’ claim

THE outcome of Alberto Nuñez Feijoo’s second investiture vote on September 29 is practically a foregone conclusion.

The 172 MPs who voted in favour of his presiding a Partido Popular government on September 27 will do so again, and the 178 who did not will once more say No.

In line with parliamentary rules, Speaker Francina Armengol will inform King Felipe of the outcome of the second vote that same afternoon if the Head of State’s engagements permit.

Following this, the King will be obliged to through the motions once more of meeting the leader of each party that has seats the national parliament for a second time.

As before, he will ask the likeliest looking politician to have another go at forming a government and it is another foregone conclusion that on this occasion it will be Pedro Sanchez’s turn.

As things stand, the socialists pointed out, only Sanchez is in a position to obtain enough votes to emerge as the next president and the PSOE was, after the PP, the most-voted party on July 23.

PSOE sources have revealed that the date for the two-day session has already been set behind the scenes for mid-October onwards, although under parliamentary regulations Sanchez has until November 27.

Reports in online daily Publico maintained on September 28 that during a meeting with social democrats from several EU countries, Sanchez told them that the investiture would take place “soon.”

Nevertheless, the party is unlikely to choose a date too close to October 12, Spain’s National Day, or October 8 when the anti-independence organisation, Societat Civil Catalana, is organising a demonstration against the amnesty in Barcelona.

According to Publico, which is further to the Left than El Pais – another newspaper largely sympathetic to the PSOE cause – the party currently faces two issues.

These focus less on whether the party is prepared to agree to an amnesty for the Cataluña secessionists, than on the formula it should take.

Publico also disclosed that “several socialists” have said that all those who were taking part in the negotiations, including the hardline secessionist party Junts per Catalunya “would have to give way.”

Publico alleged that the party leadership in Madrid’s Calle Ferraz was unequivocal:  “We want a Yes from Junts,” unnamed sources said.

They also mentioned the possibility that the Coalicion Canaria MP Cristina Valido’s vote could eventually go their way.

If that were to happen, Sanchez would need only an abstention from Junts and votes from all the other nationalist parties to return to the Moncloa Palace with a simple majority.

But that can only happen if Coalicion Canaria cooperates.

Publico might be interpreting the amnesty as a done deal but not all sources share the newspaper’s confidence that the party controlled by Carles Puigdemont, self-exiled former president of Cataluña, will agree to vote Yes or abstain on whatever date is chosen for Sanchez’s investiture.