Why Spain’s acting leader is offering a politically explosive amnesty for Catalan separatists

By CIARÁN GILES and JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s chances of forming a new coalition minority government following an inconclusive election in July have been greatly boosted by a deal with a tiny party he surely hoped he would never have to rely on. The deal is with Together for Catalunya, also known as Junts, a group bent on achieving independence for the northeastern region of Catalonia. It’s headed by Carles Puigdemont, living in self-exile in Belgium. The former regional leader of Catalonia is public enemy No. 1 for many Spaniards for fleeing after leading a failed illegal secession bid in 2017 that brought the country to the brink. The agreement signed Thursday hinges on a massively controversial amnesty that could benefit Puigdemont and thousands of other secessionists.