On Monday, the Catalan separatist party Junts submitted a proposal to the lower house of the Spanish Parliament, urging Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to initiate a confidence vote for his government.
This move has further heightened tension within Sánchez’s fragile minority government, which relies on Junts’ support to pass legislation. Junts has proven to be a difficult partner for the Socialists, claiming that Madrid has chronically underinvested in Catalonia and has failed to uphold certain promises.
“(Sánchez) relied on our votes to become prime minister – now he should show his true face,” said Junts leader Carles Puigdemont, who lives in exile in Belgium, at a press conference.
“We are raising the question of trust because those of us who trusted him feel he has not honored that gesture,” Puigdemont added.
According to the constitution, only the prime minister can decide whether to request a confidence vote in the lower house of Parliament. This procedure differs from a vote of no confidence, which in Spain requires the party proposing it to put forward an alternative candidate for prime minister and secure an absolute majority of votes. In a conversation with foreign correspondents in Madrid, Sánchez stated that he has “neither the intention nor the need” to hold a confidence vote, which has been conducted only twice since 1978.
Nevertheless, Junts’ initiative is expected to be discussed in early 2025, and it is anticipated that the conservative People’s Party and the right-wing Vox party will support it. However, Sánchez could choose to ignore the non-binding parliamentary request.
Puigdemont warned that if Sánchez does this, his party’s trust in the government will be undermined, which would mean Junts would withdraw all its support.
