In a bid to form a new government, Spain's acting Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is seeking the support of Carles Puigdemont, the leader of the Catalan separatist party JxCat. Puigdemont, who holds significant influence after the inconclusive general election, is demanding an amnesty for hundreds of individuals who were involved in Catalonia's failed push for independence in 2017. Among those who would benefit from the amnesty is Puigdemont himself, who fled Spain and currently resides in self-imposed exile in Belgium.

A potential deal on the amnesty seemed close at hand as Puigdemont met with top JxCat party officials in Brussels. However, despite a lectern being set up for Puigdemont to speak, he chose not to address the media and instead urged caution and patience, hinting at the need to wait for Sanchez's response. The amnesty proposal, which has already received approval from Catalonia's main separatist party, ERC, has faced strong opposition from the right-wing. To secure the support of both JxCat and ERC, Sanchez dispatched cabinet minister Felix Bolanos to meet with ERC officials in Barcelona.

While hopes were high for a parallel agreement with JxCat, Bolanos expressed optimism that a deal would soon be signed with the party. Jaume Asens, a member of the far-left party Podemos, who is involved in negotiations with JxCat, stated that last-minute differences had arisen, but believed that an agreement would inevitably be reached in the coming days. Analyst Antonio Barroso suggested that Puigdemont's hesitation to sign an agreement with the Socialists stems from a power struggle between JxCat and ERC in Catalonia, as the region gears up for a regional election in 2025. JxCat, which previously supported Sanchez's government in 2018, has become an opponent in recent years.

In contrast, ERC has shown a willingness to engage in dialogue with Madrid and has often collaborated with Sanchez's minority government in passing legislation. The two parties were once partners in governing Catalonia during the 2017 independence push, but they severed ties last year. JxCat has accused ERC of displaying weakness in its negotiations with the central government, leading to a fierce fight for dominance within the independence movement.

Puigdemont aims to shape the narrative of any agreement in a way that differs from ERC's, indicating that he wants the final say. Journalist Enric Juliana stated in La Vanguardia that Puigdemont does not want to be seen as betraying his own people by agreeing to reinstate Sanchez to power. Overall, while there are hurdles to overcome, an agreement between Sanchez and Puigdemont appears to be on the horizon, with the potential to reshape the political landscape in Catalonia and Spain as a whole.