On the ninth anniversary of the 1-O referendum, Junts returned Catalan independence to the spotlight, calling the 2017 vote a living mandate and urging supporters not to back down. The party says state repression continues.
Junts accuses the Spanish government of using the courts and police to crush Catalonia’s push for self-determination. The party says organizers and referendum supporters have faced criminal charges and legal threats. More than two million Catalans from all walks of life voted for independence that day. Junts describes the referendum as a basic act of democracy, not a provocation. Infobae and Democrata report that Junts keeps repeating the same message: the referendum result is "alive" and "obliges us not to give up." The party insists the 1-O was "democratic, legitimate and binding."
Junts stands firm. The party calls the 1-O vote “democratic, legitimate and binding.” That belief shapes its political strategy. Nearly ten years later, Junts says the Spanish state still responds with court cases and police action. Targets have included activists and leaders, as well as service providers. Spanish and Catalan media note that Junts links the memory of 1-O to its fight for the full return of Catalan leaders who faced prosecution and exile after the vote.
The amnesty law is now a new battleground. Junts claims some judges are blocking the law and acting in bad faith. The party says the law is stalled and wants political normalization for convicted and exiled leaders. Carles Puigdemont is at the center of the demand, alongside Toni Comín and Lluís Puig. Junts says their return and full rehabilitation must come first. Elnacional.cat reports that Junts is pushing for the full application of the amnesty law and the complete rehabilitation of these leaders. The party sees this as the only way to resolve the conflict.
Junts is also looking abroad. The party says it is working to win support from international players. Its goal is to “internationalize the Catalan cause” and push for Catalonia to join the European Union as a state. Junts hopes outside pressure will break the deadlock at home. The strategy has gained importance in recent years.
For Junts, independence reaches beyond politics. The party says it is the only way to protect the Catalan language and welfare state, while preserving social unity. This vision drives its efforts to rally Catalan society and build alliances abroad. Junts presents independence as the answer to Catalonia’s language problems, as well as its social and economic challenges.
The Catalan standoff is unfolding amid wider political tension. Recent protests in Madrid show that Spain’s political scene remains strained. Regional disputes continue to shape national debates and government actions.
Junts refuses to accept the status quo. Its push for full amnesty and claim that the 1-O vote remains valid keep the independence issue alive. The party combines legal demands with international outreach, grounding its case in democratic rights. The fight over Catalonia’s future will shape Spanish politics for years.
