Constitutional Court rejects conservative proposal

Spain's Constitutional Court began formal deliberations on 22 September 2026 on appeals against the Supreme Court's refusal to apply the amnesty law to embezzlement charges. The court's seven progressive magistrates rejected a draft proposal prepared by conservative magistrate José María Macías, who served as rapporteur for the appeal filed by former Catalan regional minister Jordi Turull. Macías had recommended upholding the Supreme Court's position that public spending on the 2017 independence vote constituted non-amnestiable embezzlement. Rather than resigning his role as rapporteur, Macías agreed to write a revised text that incorporates the majority position. Court President Cándido Conde-Pumpido scheduled a definitive vote on Turull's appeal for the plenary session on 6 October 2026, while concurrently preparing a separate draft on the appeal of former minister Dolors Bassa to establish overarching legal doctrine.

Dispute over referendum embezzlement charges

The legal conflict stems from differing interpretations of the amnesty statute enacted in June 2024. The Supreme Court criminal chamber, led by Manuel Marchena, had ruled that Catalan leaders enriched themselves by using government funds to finance the 1 October 2017 referendum instead of using private money. During the two-hour deliberation on 22 September 2026, the Constitutional Court's progressive majority concluded that this standard was improperly applied to block the legislation. The magistrates determined that the law passed by parliament intended to forgive offenses linked to the 2017 secession attempt, provided there was no personal pocketing of public assets. The Court of Justice of the European Union previously reviewed the legislation in July 2026, finding the amnesty measure compatible with European Union law.

Warrants for Puigdemont and former ministers

The Constitutional Court currently faces seven appeals from former Catalan officials who were either convicted of embezzlement (Bassa, Turull, Oriol Junqueras, and Raül Romeva) or charged in absentia (Carles Puigdemont, Lluís Puig, and Toni Comín). Sources from the Supreme Court criminal chamber indicate that investigating magistrate Pablo Llarena plans to lift the arrest warrant against Puigdemont as soon as the Constitutional Court publishes its 6 October 2026 rulings, without waiting for the court to rule on Puigdemont's individual petition. This decision would allow Puigdemont, who has resided in Waterloo, Belgium since late 2017, to enter Spain without facing detention.

Junts maintains distance from central government

Despite the court's progress toward granting amnesty, Catalan separatist party Junts per Catalunya indicated that the ruling will not translate into parliamentary support for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Speaking after the court session, Junts secretary general Jordi Turull dismissed suggestions that the development would stabilize the minority government in Madrid.

“The amnesty is a total amendment to all those people who applied the enemy's criminal code to the independentists.”

Turull reiterated that the party considers the amnesty measure an unfulfilled obligation from the November 2023 investiture pact rather than an ongoing governing coalition agreement, leaving the central executive without guaranteed votes for upcoming legislative initiatives.

“I hope that on October 6 we can say that yes, now it is clear and definitive.”