The Spanish government is throwing in the towel. After refusing to meet ERC and PDeCAT's conditions, PSOE have lost all hope that the pro-independence parties will withdraw their amendments to the budget and give them their votes, votes they need if they are to pass the bill. In the corridors of the Congress, government sources say they are not talking with the two parties at the moment to look for a change in their positions before tomorrow's vote. They expect neither "miracles nor acts of faith".
The government palace is therefore starting to speculate about possibly calling an early election. Sources suggest that 14th April would be a "precipitous". Other possibilities raised were 28th April and 26th May. That latter date would coincide with European, regional and municipal elections in Spain. The sources say that after the bill fails this Wednesday, prime minister Pedro Sánchez will start a "reflection" on whether to call an early election or not.
Defending the budget this Tuesday afternoon, the treasury minister repeated that the Spanish government will not accept to discuss a self-determination referendum for Catalonia. During her speech in the Congress, María Jesús Montero warned ERC and PDeCAT that there would be no concession: "This government will not cede to any blackmail from anyone".
"We won't accept that the right to self-determination should be on any agenda," said Montero. She gave a "perimeter" for any potential dialogue: "Nothing out of the legal order, nothing which would threaten the division of powers, nothing which would diminish social harmony."