Pedro Sánchez says the PSOE has "only one goal, which is to open dialogue and try to reach a political solution."
ADVERTISEMENTSpain’s socialist opposition leader Pedro Sánchez has detailed what he would have done to solve the Catalan crisis if he was prime minister.
Responding to a question from Euronews reporter James Franey at a press conference in Barcelona, Sánchez avoided criticizing Mariano Rajoy directly but said his Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) had been asking to open a commission for constitutional reform in the Congress since 2013-2014.
Pressed on what specific concessions he would have given Catalonia, he said the autonomous government should be strengthened, while other things “that touch the sensibility of Catalans, such as the language, culture [and] education” must be respected by the central government.
When asked whether the crisis benefited his aspirations of becoming Spain’s next prime minister, Sánchez insisted that the PSOE was “not counting votes” and had “only one goal, which is to open a dialogue and try to reach a political solution.”
The opposition leader also said a unilateral declaration of independence by Catalonia would be against the rule of law.
Watch the full exchange above