Amnesty, the Supreme Court, and the Magician's Hat: Catalonia's Return

• The return of Carles Puigdemont and the ongoing amnesty process mark a new phase in Catalan politics.
• While amnesty offers potential for democratic normalization, it risks freezing politics in past rivalries and figures, potentially alienating a disillusioned public.
• President Salvador Illa is positioning himself to benefit from this de-judicialization, focusing on routine administration over the performative politics of the past.

The Changing Political Landscape

• Amnesty facilitates the return of political figures like Puigdemont and Oriol Junqueras, but the electorate has moved on since 2017.
• Public interest has waned or shifted toward other causes, including the far-right Aliança Catalana.
• Junts per Catalunya faces internal challenges, as nostalgia alone fails to provide a viable governing project for the present.

Judicial Uncertainty

• The Spanish Supreme Court remains a critical wildcard, frequently using procedural maneuvers to challenge the implementation of the amnesty law.
• The author argues that the law often reflects the dictates of power, and the judiciary's role remains a central constraint on political resolution.

Implications of Return

• Historical parallels, such as the 1977 return of Josep Tarradellas, suggest that the impact of a return is intense but fleeting.
• The amnesty acts as a juridical burial of past mobilizations rather than a catalyst for new political energy.
• Normalization is expected to remove court schedules from political debate, but the lingering presence of old actors threatens to keep the region trapped in an obsolete narrative.