Power at any cost: Sánchez's separatist tightrope
While EU diplomatic sources say the vote is unlikely to take place, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares will again raise the issue at the General Affairs Council, under pressure from hardline Catalan party Junts.
The initiative is the latest in a string of high-stakes concessions Sánchez has made to secure support from regional pro-independence forces.
Sánchez's Socialist-led coalition, which scraped together a majority in 2023, depends on both left-wing ERC and right-wing Junts. Though often at odds, the two separatist parties are united in leveraging their support for concessions, prompting opposition accusations that Sánchez is trading national unity for political survival. A constant headache In exchange for supporting Sánchez's re-election, Junts secured a promise to push for Catalan's recognition as an official EU language. That demand was part of a broader deal that also included the controversial Amnesty Law, which pardons hundreds involved in Catalonia's failed independence push between 2012 and 2023.
The law passed narrowly in parliament with a razor-thin 177-172 majority despite deep public opposition. Sánchez defended it as a 'step towards reconciliation,' but Brussels has raised rule-of-law concerns, and the Court of Justice of the EU is investigating its legality.
Junts, led by self-exiled former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, remains an unpredictable partner. Its seven votes in parliament are essential to Sánchez's thin majority, which an opposition right-wing P artido Popular (PP) MP said described as "continuous blackmail from separatist parties". Growing internal rift Tensions have also emerged within the governing bloc.
This week, Junts rejected a proposed 'unique' financing model for Catalonia that was backed by ERC and Sánchez's PSOE. Junts called it insufficient and instead demanded full fiscal sovereignty similar to the Basque-style model.
The backlash has also reached inside PSOE. Emiliano García-Page, Castilla-La Mancha's regional president, warned the party 'cannot remain in power at any cost,' calling the tax deal a 'dramatic attack on equality among Spaniards.'
Opposition parties, meanwhile, labelled the deal a 'political payoff' to separatists. Push for greater autonomy Junts and Sánchez's PSOE have floated a proposal to grant Catalonia powers over migration, including limited deportation authority, drawing fierce criticism from the opposition.
Far-right Vox said the plan could be the 'last step before a de facto independence,' while ERC welcomed it as part of an ongoing plan to 'reduce the state's presence' in Catalonia.
Though full border control is not on the table, the Sanchez government did agree to give Catalonia partial authority over ports and airports starting in September. Scandals and shifting support To complicate matters further for Sánchez, Junts and ERC have threatened to withdraw support following a bombshell police report. The investigation uncovered a network of kickbacks, rigged tenders and influence peddling involving former cabinet members, senior Socialist officials, the prime minister's inner circle and, potentially, even Sánchez himself.
In a recent debate in Congress, Sánchez accused Junts of 'permanent blackmail.' Yet when asked about the state of the coalition, a PSOE spokesperson told Euractiv that 'monthly meetings' with the separatists continue, even though these remain "discreet".
As the prime minister faces growing pressure both from within his coalition and from political opponents, the question remains how long he can maintain the delicate balance.
'The clock is ticking,' a Junts spokesperson warned Sánchez last week.
(cs, de)
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