The Cost of Power: Spain's Sánchez and the Catalan Amnesty Deal

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to form a new government with the support of a majority of lawmakers, despite initially being written off as politically finished. However, to secure the backing of the Catalan separatist Junts group, Sánchez's Socialist Party has filed a controversial bill proposing amnesty for those involved in the Catalan separatist movement. The move has sparked protests and social tensions, with the center-right Popular Party vowing to challenge the amnesty in court. Even if the amnesty passes, it remains to be seen if it will prove problematic for Sánchez, as it could allow figures like former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont to return to Spain and exert pressure on the government.