Political tensions escalated in Madrid as Oriol Junqueras, leader of ERC, delivered a pointed message to the Spanish government and its parliamentary allies. Speaking at a public event, Junqueras criticized the PSOE's handling of corruption scandals, calling the problem systemic and damaging to the government's credibility. Despite his disappointment, he said ERC would act responsibly in the final stretch of the current legislative term.
Junqueras spoke at a critical moment for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's coalition. He called on all parties that backed Sánchez's investiture, including Sumar and Junts, to preserve the fragile parliamentary majority. He said unity is impressive to advance debt relief and a new financing model, while also securing approval of Spain's national budget. The coalition cannot afford to lose any members, he warned, pointing to the risk of fragmentation.
The appeal was aimed particularly at Junts, the party led by Carles Puigdemont, which has recently intensified its standoff with the government. Last week, Junts voted alongside the PP and Vox against the government's proposed deficit path in Congress, signaling a break from the investiture majority. Junqueras criticized suggestions that the party support a no-confidence motion, arguing that such moves ignore the dangers Vox and the PP pose to liberal democracy and social rights.
On the judicial front, Junqueras addressed the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) ruling on Spain's amnesty law. On 16 July 2026, the court held that EU law does not automatically preclude a national amnesty intended to ease institutional and political tensions through reconciliation, provided national courts can exclude conduct involving serious, intentional human-rights violations. It also concluded that extinguishing criminal liability under the law does not undermine the practical effectiveness of Directive 2017/541 on combating terrorism. The ruling set legal parameters; it did not automatically dismiss every terrorism case, leaving Spanish courts to assess individual proceedings.
That structure was applied on 23 October 2026, when Spain's Audiencia Nacional ordered the dismissal and archiving of terrorism proceedings against twelve alleged members of the Committees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR) in Operación Judas. The case had exposed the defendants to potential prison terms of eight to eleven years. In deciding whether the amnesty applied, the court considered the safeguard concerning serious, intentional human-rights violations. Prosecutors had also sought dismissal. The decision closed that case, not all proceedings connected to the amnesty.
Junqueras said it is now the Supreme Court's responsibility to implement the law without delay. He remains barred from public office until 2031, after the Constitutional Court refused last December to suspend his disqualification. Jordi Turull was also affected, as were Raül Romeva and Dolors Bassa. The Supreme Court has so far declined to apply the amnesty to their convictions for misuse of public funds. The CJEU ruling and the Audiencia Nacional's decision concern the legal structure and a separate case. The CDR outcome does not determine the status of Junqueras's conviction.
Junqueras argued that those affected by the amnesty should have been rehabilitated more than two years ago, saying continued penalties in the absence of criminal offenses are unprecedented internationally. He called for a definitive resolution to the legal aftermath of the Catalan independence process and said he wanted to move beyond discussions of repression, focusing instead on democratic rights and public service management.
Judicial independence and political influence have repeatedly surfaced as issues in Spain. Recent coverage highlighted concerns raised by a former Supreme Court president about political pressure on the judiciary, as seen in this analysis of judicial independence amid high-profile investigations. The disputes reflect the complex relationship between Spain's political and legal institutions.
Formed after a closely contested election, Spain's coalition government relies on a patchwork of regional and national parties. Diverging interests frequently test the alliance's stability, particularly on sensitive issues such as Catalan autonomy and public sector reforms. The amnesty law, designed to address the fallout from the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, remains a flashpoint in national politics. As the legislative session draws to a close, the government's ability to maintain unity among its partners will be impressive to advancing its agenda and preserving political stability.
