EU court upholds Spain’s amnesty law for Catalan separatists

The European Union’s top court handed a symbolic victory to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday, upholding his contested 2024 amnesty law for Catalan separatists involved in a failed secession bid.

The law was passed to secure the backing of Catalan separatist parties so Sanchez could remain in power after Spain’s inconclusive 2023 general election, and to ease tensions in the northeastern region following a failed 2017 secession bid.

The measure was fiercely opposed by the right, which staged large street protests against it.

The Court of Justice of the European Union agreed with the government’s longstanding argument that the amnesty law complies with EU legislation.

The worst political crisis

“EU law does not preclude that amnesty law. That law seeks to reduce institutional and political tensions and to facilitate a scenario for reconciliation,” the Luxembourg-based court wrote in its ruling.