Carles Puigdemont, leader of the Junts party, signaled that this autumn will be a decisive period for determining future relations with Pedro Sánchez’s government. He stated that if previously reached agreements are not implemented, political support may be reconsidered. This statement was made at a conference held within the Catalan Summer University, where Puigdemont noted that the waiting period is coming to an end.
Puigdemont reminded that Junts initially did not enter into a long-term agreement to support the government, but chose instead to negotiate on individual issues. In his view, this approach allows for securing concessions and ensuring that agreements are upheld. The Catalan nationalist leader emphasized that in the autumn, the party will decide whether to continue cooperation with the government if no real steps are taken to meet their demands.
Among the key conditions Junts sets for continued support are: expanding Catalonia’s powers in migration policy, official recognition of the Catalan language within European Union institutions, and a review of financial relations between Madrid and Barcelona. Additionally, the party is demanding further economic benefits for the region. In Puigdemont’s opinion, all these issues must be resolved in the coming months, especially in the context of preparing the national budget for 2026.
This week, Finance Minister María Jesús Montero confirmed that the government is preparing a draft budget, increasing pressure on the executive branch. Puigdemont made it clear that Junts does not intend to automatically support government initiatives unless it sees progress on its demands. He also noted that the political situation in Catalonia and Spain as a whole could change dramatically as early as this autumn.
During a speech in the city of Prades (Prades), located in France near the Spanish border, Puigdemont once again raised the issue of the status of the Catalan language in Europe. Although the Spanish government has not yet succeeded in this area, the Junts leader expressed his willingness to give Pedro Sánchez and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares a bit more time to achieve results. However, he did not specify when the party might withdraw its support if there is no progress.
Junts believes that the agreement reached in Brussels to support Sánchez’s investiture should not remain in effect throughout the entire legislature. The party intends to negotiate each issue separately in order to secure new concessions and monitor the implementation of existing agreements. Puigdemont argues that this approach enables effective protection of Catalonia’s interests at the national level.
Thus, autumn could bring significant changes to Spanish politics. If the government fails to meet its commitments to Junts, the party is prepared to reconsider its position and shift the balance of power in parliament. In the coming months, attention will be focused on negotiations between Madrid and Barcelona, which will determine the government’s stability and the future of key reforms.
