The agreement with the Spanish Socialist party must resolve the political conflict and will also provide for suffrage by the citizens of Catalonia to validate the final accord

The recognition of the political conflict, a negotiating table between the Spanish and Catalan governments, and the validation of the agreements in suffrage by the citizens of Catalonia, will have the last word on the future of the country. In return, Esquerra will facilitate the investiture of Pedro Sánchez as the Prime Minister of the Spanish Government.

These are the highlights of the agreement between Esquerra Republicana and the Spanish Socialist Party. The agreement seeks "to open a new phase based on effective, open, sincere dialogue and commitment to institutional recognition and understanding," as emphasized in the document.

Thus, the text ratified today by 96.6% of the Esquerra National Council includes "the recognition of the political conflict and initiation of a political route to resolve it, overcoming judicialization" through dialogue and negotiation.

The agreement also envisages the establishment within the next 15 days of a "bilateral negotiating table" for dialogue and agreement to resolve the conflict, which will be composed of Catalonia’s Generalitat government and the Spanish government. This negotiating table will have a transparent calendar, monitoring and guaranteeing compliance, and each party will be able to contribute the contents they consider appropriate to the agenda.

Lastly, the two signatories undertake to materialize the measures in the agreements, which will in any case be subject to "suffrage by the citizens of Catalonia."

To bring forth the country’s great consensus: referendum, amnesty and an end to repression.

Pere Aragonès Esquerra's National Coordinator

In his closing speech, Esquerra’s National Coordinator Pere Aragonès assured that this agreement must be seen as a national victory: "We are not here for partisan victories, we want it to be a stride for our country. And to bring forth the country’s great consensus: referendum, amnesty and an end to repression. And finally leaving the agreements in the hands of the citizens of Catalonia."

Aragonès added that the text approved is a first step to commence dialogue: "We are beginning to talk. We are aware, however, of the difficulty and the context, with people in prison and in exile," emphasizing that Esquerra Republicana places "its members of parliament at the service of the country, embracing [the call to] 'sit and talk' at the core of political action," with the goal of placing the right to self-determination on the political agenda.