Amnesty Backlash Among PSOE Supporters

A GAD3 poll conducted between 6 and 8 October 2026 shows that 46% of PSOE voters oppose the amnesty for former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, while only 42% support it. The finding highlights a growing rift within the Socialist electorate over one of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s key political agreements following the 2023 general elections. The national survey, published by ABC on Sunday, found that 61% of Spaniards reject the amnesty, compared to 31% in favour. The measure, central to Sánchez’s coalition-building, is intended to allow Puigdemont and other leaders of the 2017 independence process to return to Spain without facing prosecution.

Constitutional Ruling Clears Path for Return

The Constitutional Court’s recent ruling on 6 October 2026 ordered the Supreme Court to apply amnesty to the crime of misappropriation committed during the independence process, effectively removing legal barriers to Puigdemont’s return after nearly nine years in self-imposed exile in Belgium. This decision follows the Supreme Court’s earlier suspension on 8 September 2026 of electoral rights for individuals who acquired Spanish nationality under the 'grandchildren’s law', formally part of the Democratic Memory Law. The court ruled that only those who can prove descent from exiled Republicans during the Civil War and Franco dictatorship may be registered to vote abroad.

Public Doubt Over Judicial Independence

The GAD3 barometer also indicates that 45% of respondents believe the Constitutional Court has not acted independently from the government in its amnesty ruling, compared to 40% who say it has. The perception cuts across party lines and adds to political tensions ahead of the 29 November 2026 general elections. Vox voters remain the most opposed to the amnesty, with 93% against it, while PP voters oppose it at 83%. Support is strongest among nationalist and pro-independence voters at 87%, and among Sumar supporters, where 64% approve the measure.

Debate Over 'Law of Grandchildren' Grows

The survey further reveals that 68% of respondents believe nationality grants under the Democratic Memory Law should be paused and reviewed. This includes 50% of PSOE voters and 43% of Sumar supporters, both parties in the governing coalition.

The Supreme Court’s decision conditions voting rights on proof of political exile, reversing a 2022 government instruction that presumed exile for anyone leaving Spain between 18 July 1936 and 31 December 1955.

According to RTVE, the court’s move affects around 2.4 million people who have applied for nationality, over a million of whom were awaiting final approval.

Electoral Rights Under Scrutiny

The controversy extends to voting rights. The poll shows 49% of PSOE voters oppose allowing newly naturalised citizens who have never lived in Spain to vote in general elections, compared to 36% of Sumar voters. The issue gained urgency after the Supreme Court’s 8 September ruling suspended the electoral registration of new citizens until individual claims of exile are verified. The court acted on appeals filed by Vox and the legal association Iustitia Europa. These developments place the Sánchez government under increasing pressure as the campaign for the 29 November elections intensifies. Once seen as a stabilising compromise, the amnesty and nationality reforms are now flashpoints in a deeply polarised political landscape.

Primary sources: revistes.eapc.gencat.cat, govern.cat. Reported by RTVE.es, cadenaser.com, elpais.com, elconstitucional.es, elperiodico.com, radio onda cero, tribunalconstitucional.es, elliberal.cat.