Spanish Centrists Offer No Compromise on Catalan Independence

Spanish centrists will not cave in on the issue of Catalan or any other autonomous region's independence, the coordinator of the International Affairs Committee of Spain's Citizens party, Francisco Andres Perez, told Sputnik.

MADRID (Sputnik) — Perez said that his party was ready to negotiate with all the political factions in the country after the June 26 Spanish parliamentary elections, except for those lobbying for independence for Spanish autonomous regions.

"We have no 'red lines' save for a single one, respect for the law — for the territorial integrity and equality of Spaniards," he said.

He added that it was highly unlikely that the political parties would again be unable to agree on a new government and prime minister after the June 26 elections, saying, "I find this option impossible but we will see."

The June 26 elections were called after no party was able to secure a majority following the December 2015 vote.

According to a poll conducted by Public Opinion Research Center Metroscopia and commissioned by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the People's Party (PP), chaired by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, may take between 114 and 116 seats, while the left-wing Podemos is expected to clinch between 92 and 95 seats. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) may become the third-largest party in parliament with 78-85 seats, the survey found. Citizens is project to secure 38-39 seats.

This polling data promises difficult negotiations ahead on forming a coalition.