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Date Published: 07/03/2024

Spain pushes controversial Amnesty Law over the final hurdle

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The fiercely unpopular law still needs to be passed by Spain’s Senate, but there’s little to stand in its way

Spain pushes controversial Amnesty Law over the final hurdle

Despite the fact that half the country is up in arms and the legislation has at times resulted in parliamentary deadlock, the hugely unpopular Amnesty Law has resumed its journey through the Spanish system this week and is just one small step away from coming into force.

This Thursday March 7, the Congressional Justice Commission gave the green light to some changes to the draft law and now all that remains is a quick nod from Congress before the bill is approved by the Senate next week, something that appears only to be a formality.

The proposed law, which has prompted protests and demonstrations up and down the country, aims to provide a way for people who have committed crimes related to terrorism, sedition and rebellion to avoid punishment. The legislation would apply to those who committed crimes before December 31, 2022, and have not yet been sentenced or are currently serving sentences.

Under the proposed law, individuals who admit to their crimes and express remorse may be eligible for amnesty.

In his bid for re-election last year, President Pedro Sánchez negotiated the Amnesty Law with Catalan separatist parties, several members of which would face long prison terms without it. This week’s final draft effectively shields those accused of terrorism during the independence movement, including former Catalonia President Carles Puigdemont. Additionally, the law clarifies that any corruption charges related to the independence process will be dropped if the accused did not personally benefit from the alleged wrongdoing.

Last month, separatist party Junts threatened to derail the entire process by voting against the law it had so staunchly defended, claiming that the original text didn’t offer enough protection.

Opposition parties PP and VOX are fiercely opposed to the law which they claim condones serious crime and undermines the Spanish legal system. In a scathing attack on the president, PP spokesperson Cuca Gamarra described the Amnesty as an “unjust, immoral and unconstitutional law” that will enable the separatists to stage another coup, this time with total impunity.

The modified Amnesty Law will be debated and voted on in Congress on Thursday March 14 before reaching the last stage of parliamentary processing, the Senate.

In other news: Carlo Ancelotti accused of tax fraud in Spain

Image: ElAjuijon/Twitter

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