This Is Puigdemont's Latest Demand to Pedro Sánchez to Remain in Power

Junts per Catalunya wants Catalan to be a mandatory requirement for granting residence permits to immigrants in Catalonia. Carles Puigdemont's party seeks for municipalities to ensure the application of this criterion in their new law on migration competencies.

This proposal arises after the agreement with PSOE to transfer to the Generalitat the control of residence and stay permits in Catalonia. The objective is for the Generalitat to control the granting, renewal, and termination of residence permits, in addition to managing administrative resources.

Junts considers this transfer of competencies a "historic achievement" and a "challenge" in consolidating Catalonia as a decision-making entity. They also aim for Catalonia to participate in state commissions to define immigration criteria, despite not being an independent state.

The proposed law includes the authority of the Mossos d'Esquadra to manage migration security and participate in sanctioning procedures. The expulsion of immigrants must be requested from the Generalitat, although the execution of these will remain in the hands of the central government.

The regional police will coordinate with the National Police and the Civil Guard to control immigration within the Schengen area. Junts wants the Catalonia Security Board to establish the criteria for the expulsion of immigrants within the Catalan territory.

However, not governing the Generalitat, Junts fears that PSC will not implement these competencies with the criteria they consider appropriate. Therefore, their plan is to pressure in Parliament for Salvador Illa's Executive to apply these measures according to their political vision.

Despite this agreement, Junts clarifies that no immigration law has been negotiated, so border control will remain state-controlled. The agreement foresees a progressive reinforcement of the Mossos d'Esquadra in migration functions, with 1,800 new agents assigned to this task.

This increase will add to the 5,000 officers already agreed upon in the Security Board, aiming to reach 26,800 police officers by 2033.

PSOE and Junts Agree to Transfer Migration to Catalonia and Write Off Regional Debt

Pedro Sánchez has decided to yield to the interests of the Catalan separatists to ensure his stay in power. The agreement between PSOE and Junts, signed in exchange for Sánchez's investiture after the July 2023 elections.

Not only does it contemplate the transfer of competencies in immigration matters to the Generalitat. But also a write-off of Catalan debt that exceeds what was initially agreed upon.

The agreement establishes that the Generalitat will assume the management of immigration in its territory, even delegating the issuance of residence documents. However, the competencies over border control will remain under state jurisdiction. This has sparked criticism for the inconsistency in the distribution of powers.

The most controversial aspect is not just the agreement itself, but the context in which it occurs. Just a few days later, the government approved a write-off of more than 17 billion euros of Catalan debt. This represents 22% of what Catalonia owed to the Regional Liquidity Fund (FLA).

This percentage exceeds initial forecasts and places Sánchez in an uncomfortable position, where the balance between economic policy and his political interests leans toward the latter.

In exchange for this write-off and the transfer of competencies, PSOE seeks to appease internal tensions within its coalition and obtain the necessary support from the separatists. To secure its weak parliamentary majority. This type of agreement calls into question the country's stability and raises serious questions about the future of territorial cohesion in Spain.