Spain's Catalonia calls early election on eve of amnesty vote

Catalonia's regional President Pere Aragones gives a news conference at Palau de la Generalitat, following the arrest of former Catalan government head Carles Puigdemont in Sardinia on Thursday, in Barcelona, Spain, September 24, 2021. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

BARCELONA (Reuters) -Catalonia will hold an early election on May 12 after the separatist minority government of the Spanish region failed to approve its budget proposal in the regional parliament, Catalan government head Pere Aragones said on Wednesday.

The snap election could have implications for national politics as Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez relies on Catalan separatist parties Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and Junts to pass legislation.