Catalan president hails ‘new stage’ in quest for independence after amnesty vote

Pere Aragonès says vote validated his decision to pursue political negotiations with Pedro Sánchez

Catalonia’s president has hailed a “new stage” in the quest for regional self-determination after a vote by MPs backing the Spanish government’s deeply divisive amnesty law and vowed to continue pushing for a mutually agreed referendum if he wins another term in May’s snap election.

Pere Aragonès, who has led the regional government for the past three years, told the Guardian the amnesty – demanded by Catalan separatist parties in return for helping Spain’s Socialist-led coalition back into power after last year’s election – had validated his decision to pursue political negotiations with the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.