Catalan pro-independence party ERC has acknowledged that it is already considering the final proposal negotiated with the Socialists (PSOE) for the formation of a new Spanish government under Pedro Sánchez, but has left its final decision for January, since the party's national council must approve it. The accord is understood to include a document that may be made public tomorrow by the State Solicitors on the legal situation of Oriol Junqueras, imprisoned ERC leader whose release the party is demanding - a measure which finally would have to be assumed by the Supreme Court as well to become effective.
"ERC will study the proposal and the state of the negotiation internally over the next few days, but rules out the holding of the national council meeting, which is essential to a possible agreement, before the end of the year," the party has said.
Speculation on an impending agreement began circulating on Sunday afternoon, after radio network Cadena SER asserted that the PSOE had already provided ERC with the State Solicitors' views on the legal situation of Junqueras, and that they seemed acceptable to the Catalan party. The network also affirmed that ERC would be prepared to have its 13 members abstain and thus make possible the investiture of Sánchez as new PM.
Cadena SER says an agreement between PSOE and ERC is imminent and it would thus be possible to schedule the parliamentary investiture sessions between January 2nd and 5th, as the Spanish government wanted.
ERC has not denied the information reported by SER, but says that the final decision is not yet taken and the deal will be analyzed "in the days ahead". The first deliberation will be held tomorrow, coinciding with the Monday meeting of the party executive.
Given the New Year holidays ahead, timing is tight, and even more so considering that Oriol Junqueras' party must validate any agreement by assembling its national council, so the possibility remains that the new government will not be formed until after the Reis holiday on January 6th.
The content of the possible government agreement is unknown, due to the secrecy of the negotiations.