The exiled former leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, has laid out tough conditions for his party's support in parliament for a new prime minister in Spain. Puigdemont, who is wanted for attempting the region's secession from Spain, stated that any support from his party would require concessions, including an amnesty for separatists. Without these concessions, Puigdemont insists that Spain would have to go to the polls again. The ruling Socialists, however, have made it clear that their positions are vastly different from Puigdemont's conditions.

Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz visited Puigdemont in Brussels, but the two sides remain far apart. Acting government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez emphasized that the Socialists would not break constitutional bounds, and that they believe in dialogue, the constitution, and coexistence. The conservative People's Party (PP), led by Alberto Nunez Feijoo, won the most votes in the recent election. Feijoo is set to take an investiture vote on September 27th, but his chances of winning are slim as his party opposes any concessions to separatists. If Feijoo fails to form a government, it will be up to acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to try and gather support.

However, this seems unlikely without the backing of Puigdemont's Junts per Catalunya party, as their seven votes are crucial to Sanchez's chances of staying in power. Puigdemont has called on Spain to respect the legitimacy of the Catalan independence movement, drop all judicial cases against Catalan separatism, and create a mechanism to recognize and guarantee compliance with agreements reached. He also urged Spain to abandon judicial actions against the pro-independence movement. While Puigdemont is prepared for both negotiations and elections, he made it clear that the goal is to achieve a historic agreement rather than simply saving a legislature.

Puigdemont believes that Catalan should be recognized as an official language within the European Union's institutions. With tensions and differences between the parties, the future of Spain's government remains uncertain. The support of Puigdemont's party is crucial, and without their backing, Spain may face another round of elections. The fate of Catalonia's independence movement, the potential for concessions, and the possibility of a referendum all hang in the balance as negotiations continue.