The polls have officially opened in Catalonia for a crucial regional parliamentary election that will have significant implications for Spain’s national politics.
This Sunday’s election will serve as a litmus test for the separatist movement in the affluent northeastern region of Spain and for the policies of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is working towards reconciliation with the separatists.
With over 5.7 million eligible voters, the election will determine the composition of the regional parliament based in Barcelona.
While separatists have dominated the regional government for over a decade, recent polls indicate a slight decline in support for secession since the failed attempt led by former regional president Carles Puigdemont in 2017.
Puigdemont, currently a fugitive from Spanish law, is actively participating in the election campaign from southern France, with plans to return to Spain once the newly elected lawmakers convene to select a regional president.
His return hinges on the approval of a controversial amnesty by Spain’s parliament, part of Sanchez’s efforts to ease tensions in Catalonia, including the pardoning of prominent separatist figures currently in jail.
A failure to garner support for the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party in this election would be a setback for Sanchez, who leads a minority coalition in Madrid.
Battle in the separatist camp
Sanchez has joined forces with Salvador Illa, the Socialist candidate, in the campaign.
At the Socialists’ final rally in Barcelona, Sanchez endorsed Illa as the candidate capable of bringing about the necessary change for stability and social improvement in the region.
A victory for the Socialists would mark a significant shift…
Article from www.aljazeera.com