Catalonia calls an early regional election that could add to Spain’s political uncertainty

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The regional president of Catalonia has called an early election for May 12 after his minority government failed to pass a budget for Spain’s wealthy northeast region that includes Barcelona. The move by Pere Aragonès on Wednesday came on the eve of a vote in Spain’s national parliament on a contentious amnesty law. The bill if passed would pardon hundreds of leaders and supporters of the separatist movement including those involved in Catalonia’s unsuccessful bid to declare independence from Spain in 2017. The Catalan regional election had to be held before the end of the year. Catalonia has been governed by separatist parties for more than a decade. But Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists have polled strong in the region recently.