Catalonia's Junts Withdraws Support, Shaking Spain's Political Landscape

Catalonia's pro-independence party, Junts, has announced its decision to retract support from Spain's leftist government, increasing the difficulty of passing the national budget. The decision, expected to be ratified by grassroots party members, highlights a political rift that complicates Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s legislative goals.

Over the past two years, Junts has backed government initiatives in exchange for concessions favoring Catalonia. However, the party accuses the Socialist government of failing to deliver on promises, including matters of regional immigration and language recognition. Junts' chairman, Carles Puigdemont, emphasized the party's unwillingness to support a government perceived as unsupportive of Catalonian priorities.

Despite not toppling the minority government, Junts' withdrawal undermines the ruling coalition's stability, as it can no longer rely on the party's crucial legislative support. The lack of a submitted budget for 2026 compounds these difficulties, though Sanchez remains optimistic about completing his legislative term.