LUXEMBOURG — The EU’s top court ruled that the controversial amnesty of Catalan separatists does not violate key provisions of the bloc’s law, bringing pro-independence leader Carles Puigdemont a step closer to returning to Spain after years on the run.
The Court of Justice of the European Union’s decisions are also major legal and political wins for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who agreed to pardon the Catalan separatist in exchange for the parliamentary support he needed to remain prime minister following the 2023 national elections.
The measure sparked fierce opposition in Spain, but the court’s judgments reinforce the government’s long-standing argument that the law complies with EU legislation.
This developing story is being updated.