Junts withdraws its support for the Government and opens the way to elections after voting against the housing law

I waited to write until the housing decrees were voted because, honestly, I thought that Junts would vote yes at the last minute. Those of us who have experienced the process closely know of the script twists to which its protagonists accustomed us. In 2016, they were able to change the candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat from one day to the next. Artur Mas was forced to retire, and they had to improvise. They searched among their deputies and chose number three on the list for Girona. His name was Carles Puigdemont, he was the mayor of the city, but a complete unknown to many Catalans. He became president thanks to the CUP. In other words, Puigdemont rose to stardom thanks to one of the parties most critical of abusive housing policies.

A year later, when Puigdemont had decided to call regional elections rather than proclaim independence, he heard shouts in Plaza Sant Jaume calling him a traitor. And he changed his mind: instead of elections he proclaimed, for a few minutes, independence. A few days later he appeared in Waterloo, where he remains, hopefully for a short time.

I don't know what would have happened if Puigdemont had been in Catalonia yesterday with cries of “shame” in the street when Junts confirmed his no. From Waterloo it is impossible to hear them.

Puigdemont became enemy number one for a large part of the Spanish media and political parties, including the PSOE. But in 2023 the socialists needed your votes for Pedro Sánchez to be president of the government. In exchange, they would give their support to something that until then they had denied: the Amnesty law.

In a few days this law will receive the endorsement of the Constitutional Court and Puigdemont will finally be able to return to Catalonia, where the situation has nothing to do with that of 2017, luckily. And right now, Puigdemont's party has given the finishing touch to the Government that risked the most for him to return home without going to jail. The amnesty has been the hardest toll that the PSOE has had to pay for the seven Junts votes. Let us not forget that this law was the trigger for the phrase that marked the legislature. The one who can make it do.

It was very curious yesterday to see how those who shouted the loudest “Puigdemont to prison” were delighted with the decision of the escapee's party, as they have called him so many times. Media and political parties that demonized the former mayor of Girona yesterday applauded with their ears. He who can applaud should applaud.

Spain is a wonderful country. So wonderful that Puigdemont may have provided Sánchez with the last opportunity to anticipate elections with the left to the left of the PSOE minimally mobilized, essential for Sánchez to govern again. Write down this name: Pablo Bustinduy.

In these times of so much emotionality and little rationality, who is capable of ruling out a result? Who would have thought last week that the eviction of Maricarmen, one of thousands that have been carried out during this legislature, was going to cause this tsunami? My bet is that we will go to elections. Very polarized. Ceuta and immigration versus housing. And be careful with the periphery, and I'm not just referring to Catalonia and Euskadi.

The massive mobilizations that will take place throughout Spain today will be decisive for Sánchez to decide. And if by chance he gets the white ball again and is able to form a government, which is very very difficult for him, he will do so without the votes of Junts. Because I doubt that Junts will have the key to anything again. Junts has chosen to be evicted even though its leader is about to return home. Whoever can vote, let him vote.