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☆ Spanish Socialists and Catalan Junts reach deal for government support, amnesty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A law granting amnesty to those prosecuted over Catalonia's attempt to secede from Spain was included in the deal, political leaders said and the deal text showed. The agreement included Junts lending its votes in parliament to support legislation for a full four-year term, he said. But Junts, which seeks another independence referendum, said supporting each law would depend on progress in talks involving Catalonia's political conflict. As a deal between Junts and the Socialists edged nearer in the past week, the mood in the country has become increasingly febrile, with protesters clashing with police outside the Socialists' headquarters in Madrid. An amnesty could exculpate as many as 1,400 activists and politicians involved in the attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain.

Persons: Junts, Feijoo, Puigdemont, Pedro Sanchez, Santos Cerdan, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Sanchez, Carles Puigdemont, Jaume Clotet, Belen Carreno, Joan Faus, Graham Keeley, Aislinn Laing, Charlie Devereux, Alison Williams, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton, Alex Richardson Organizations: Companies Spain's Socialists, Conservative, Socialist Party, PSOE, Socialist, Socialists, Police, People's Party, Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, Basque Nationalist Party, Thomson Locations: Catalan, Madrid, MADRID, Spain, Brussels, Junts, Catalonia, Belgium, Waterloo

☆ Spain's acting PM Sanchez backs Catalan amnesty deal in bid to form government
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/ Albert Gea/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday said he supported granting a controversial amnesty to those involved in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid, in the hope of persuading the region's parties to back him in government. He needs the backing of Catalan separatist parties, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya ERC and Junts, who have demanded an amnesty law that could potentially cover more than 1,400 people involved in the failed independence bid. "To continue moving forward, we must overcome all the episodes that in the past divided us and fractured our societies," Sanchez said. He said his party "looks at the problems head on", adding 80% of Catalans supported an agreement on the issue. A poll in September showed 70% of respondents - 59% of them socialist supporters - were against an amnesty.

Persons: Oriol Junqueras, Passeig de Gracia, Albert Gea, Pedro Sanchez, Catalonia's, Sanchez, Esquerra, Jessica Jones, Mike Harrison Organizations: Passeig, REUTERS, Rights, Socialist Party's Federal, Catalunya ERC, Junts, Catalans, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, Rights MADRID, Catalonia, Madrid, Catalan

☆ Tens of thousands protest against possible Catalan amnesty deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Graham Keeley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] Unionist supporters protest against amnesty of separatist leaders and activists involved in the 2017 failed independence drive at Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona, Spain, October 8, 2023. Pedro Sanchez needs the support of Catalan separatist parties Junts and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, which want the unpopular amnesty in exchange for votes in parliament. An amnesty would put the government above democracy and the rule of law," said Javier Tapia, 55, a chemicals worker. The amnesty could potentially cover more than 1,400 people involved in the independence bid that came to a head in 2017, pro-separatist Catalan group Omnium estimates. Around 70% of respondents - 59% of them Socialist supporters – said they were against the idea of an amnesty in a poll in mid-September.

Persons: Passeig de Gracia, Albert Gea, Sanchez, Spain's, Pedro Sanchez, Junts, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Santiago Abascal, Javier Tapia, Isabel Martinez, Feijoo, Francisco Franco, –, Graham Keeley, Joan Faus, Horaci Garcia, Guillermo Martinez, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Passeig, REUTERS, Barcelona, BARCELONA, Spain's, Socialist, People's Party, Vox, Sale, AMNESTY, European Union, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, Catalan, Catalonia

[1/3] Spain's King Felipe shakes hands with Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez before their meeting at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2023. Juanjo Guillen/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister predicted "complex talks" with other political parties to form a government on Tuesday, after he was nominated to seek their backing for a new mandate. Sanchez was invited by Spain's King Felipe VI to try to form a governing majority after Feijoo last week failed in his bid to become prime minister. Asked about a referendum, Sanchez said Catalans were looking to "turn the page" and to find a "reunion" with Spanish society. House Speaker Francina Armengol said earlier that Sanchez had yet to share his proposed schedule for the investiture vote.

Persons: King Felipe, Spain's, Pedro Sanchez, Juanjo Guillen, Sanchez, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Spain's King Felipe VI, Feijoo, Junts, Pablo Simon, Carlos, Carles Puigdemont, Mr Sanchez, Mr Puigdemont, Yolanda Diaz, Francina Armengol, David Latona, Belen Carreno Emma Pinedo, Inti, Charlie Devereux, Andrei Khalip, Nick Macfie, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Socialists, ERC, Catalans, Carlos III, Labour, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Rights MADRID, Basque, Catalan

[1/2] "Junts x Catalunya" members raise up an "Estelada" flag (Catalan separatist flag) as they celebrate the results of the European Parliament elections in Barcelona, Spain, May 27, 2019. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File PhotoBARCELONA/MADRID, July 26 (Reuters) - Spain may be heading for a repeat of Sunday's inconclusive election unless Catalan separatist parties compromise on their demands for an independence referendum in exchange for their support. After neither the right nor left bloc won enough seats to form a majority, Catalan separatist parties Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and Junts have emerged as kingmakers. However, Sanchez, who rejects Catalan independence, has long said he opposes a referendum or an amnesty. INDEPENDENCE SUPPORT DECLININGEven if Sanchez were willing to concede, a referendum could prove difficult to implement.

Persons: Albert Gea, Esquerra, Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, Junts, Carles Puigdemont, Ramon Tremosa, mignon, Tremosa, Josep Rius, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Feijoo, Mariano Rajoy, Joan Esculies, Isabel Rodriguez, Yolanda Diaz, Diaz, Jaume Asens, Puigdemont, Wayne Griffiths, Rius, Pedro Sanchez's, Joan Faus, Belen Carreno, Charlie Devereux, Aislinn Laing, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, ERC, Junts, Sanchez's Socialists, Socialists, European Union, People's Party, Socialist, Monday, Volkswagen's, SEAT, Catalans, Vox, Thomson Locations: Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, BARCELONA, MADRID, Catalan, Catalonia, Belgium, Socialist, Madrid, Volkswagen's Barcelona, Spanish

The ruling Socialists (PSOE) and far-left Sumar won 153 but have more possibilities for negotiating support from small Basque and Catalan separatist parties, as they did following 2019's election. Sanchez could win over left-wing separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC). Junts Secretary General Jordi Turull said on Monday he would use the "window of opportunity" created by the election impasse to achieve Catalan independence. Turull was among the nine Catalan jailed separatist leaders pardoned by Sanchez in 2021 for their role in the 2017 independence bid. Puigdemont, who still wields considerable influence within Junts, said in mid-July the party would not support Sanchez because he was unreliable.

Persons: Sanchez, Carles Puigdemont, Pedro Sanchez, Vox, Sumar, Esquerra, Jordi Turull, Turull, Puigdemont, Joan Esculies, Esculies, Antoni Comin, Clara Ponsati, Yves Herman, Franco, Spain's, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, PNV, Arnaldo Otegi, Otegi, Joan Faus, Belen Carreno, Emma Pinedo, Inti Landauro, Charlie Devereux, Angus MacSwan, Aislinn Laing Organizations: Exiled, Catalan, Socialist, People's Party, Socialists, PSOE, ERC, Junts, RAC, REUTERS, Reuters, Basque, Vox, Thomson Locations: Spain, Exiled Catalan, BARCELONA, MADRID, Belgium, Catalonia, Puigdemont's, Basque, Catalan, Junts, Madrid, Brussels, Canary Islands, Galicia, Navarra, Barcelona

☆ Players forced to run for cover as raging bull creates havoc at a rugby league match in France
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Chaos ensued before a rugby league match between the Catalans Dragons and St Helens on Friday when a bull escaped from a pre-match parade and rampaged around the field. Television cameras showed the bull breaking free of its handler, dragging him along the ground, and charging around the field. Scattering players dropped rugby balls as they ran for cover, while some players even jumped over the barriers into the crowd. It marked a significant win over the reigning Super League champion St Helens, sealed by tries from Arthur Mourgue, Matt Ikuvalu and two from Tom Davies. “It was a bizarre start to the match,” Dragons head coach Steve McNamara said afterwards.

☆ Rugby league-Rampaging bull disrupts Super League match
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 6 (Reuters) - A bull broke free during a Super League match in Perpignan, France on Friday, causing the players of Catalans Dragons and St Helens to run for cover at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. The bull eventually slowed down, allowing handlers to regain control and no injuries resulted from the incident, British media reported. In a statement before the match, Catalans said three bulls and two cows would take a lap of honour on the pitch during the warm-up as part of a programme to "honour local livestock". The event was organised in partnership with local meat-processing plant Guasch Viandes, owned by Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch. Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Catalonia seeks Spain's agreement for new independence referendum
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Joan Faus | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has favoured dialogue with Catalonia to rebuild relations after a chaotic unilateral bid for independence in 2017 plunged Spain into its worst political crisis in years. It remains, however, staunchly opposed to independence and has hitherto ruled out a legal referendum. A similar proposal by Catalonia in 2012 was firmly rejected by the then conservative government in Madrid. The wealthy northeastern region held a referendum five years later despite a ban by the courts, and issued a short-lived unilateral independence declaration. Catalan government head Pere Aragones told the regional parliament that for another referendum, Catalonia needed Madrid's buy-in.

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