Spain's socialists have reached a deal with the Catalan separatist Junts party, which will support the government in return for a controversial amnesty for officials and activists involved in Catalonia's separatist drive. The amnesty will cover all events related to the Catalan independence drive from 2012 to present day, including a symbolic vote held in 2014 and an independence referendum in 2017, which was declared illegal by courts. That led to nine separatist leaders being convicted and jailed for between nine and 13 years for offences ranging from sedition to misuse of public funds.