What's happened
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez faces outrage and protests after offering an amnesty deal to Catalan separatists in exchange for political support. Effigies of Sánchez were battered and a piñata effigy was attacked by far-right groups in Madrid, sparking condemnation and calls for legal action.
Why it matters
The amnesty law in Spain, aimed at resolving the Catalan crisis, has sparked protests and outrage. The backlash against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's deal with Catalan separatists highlights deep political divisions and raises concerns about the rule of law and democracy in Spain.
What the papers say
The New York Times praises Sánchez's bold attempt to end the Catalan crisis with the amnesty law, despite the political opportunism surrounding its introduction. In contrast, Politico and The Times report on the outrage and protests against Sánchez, with the Socialists filing complaints over the effigy incidents.
How we got here
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promised no blanket amnesty during his electoral campaign but introduced the law after needing support from Catalonia's separatist parties. The amnesty covers politicians, civil servants, and citizens involved in the illegal 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
More on these topics
-
Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is a Spanish politician serving as Prime Minister of Spain since 2 June 2018. On 7 January 2020, Pedro Sanchez was confirmed by the Congress of Deputies as Prime Minister with a lead of just two votes, heading the first coa
-
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula.