Supreme Court applies amnesty to former Catalan minister Meritxell Serret

Spain's Supreme Court has ruled to apply the recently passed amnesty law to Meritxell Serret, a former Catalan regional minister. This decision marks a significant step in the implementation of the controversial legislation aimed at pardoning individuals involved in the 2017 Catalan independence bid.

Serret, who previously served as the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food in the Catalan government, becomes the first former minister from the 2017 administration to officially benefit from the amnesty. The law, which was a key condition for Catalan separatist parties to support Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government, aims to de-escalate political tensions in Catalonia.

The application of the amnesty law to figures like Serret is expected to have broader implications for dozens of politicians and activists facing legal proceedings related to the independence movement. However, the law has faced strong opposition from political parties and judicial bodies within Spain, who argue it undermines the rule of law and national unity.