Spanish PM goes to opera house to make dramatic announcement on Catalan separatists

Pedro Sanchez is set to pardon nine jailed Catalan leaders who tried to split from Spain in 2017, reports Graham Keeley

A placard depicting Catalan leaders Carles Puigdemont, Carme Forcadell, Oriol Junqueras and former head of Catalonia's police force, Josep Lluis Trapero, reading ‘To jail’ (AFP/Getty)

Maria Callas and Placido Domingo are among those who have performed in the opera house where the Spanish prime minister will on Monday seek to explain the most dramatic gambit of his political career.

Pedro Sanchez is to take to the stage at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu to spell out why he is about to pardon nine jailed Catalan separatist leaders, in a move designed to defuse political tensions that have divided the country for years.

Spain’s leftist government is expected to formally pass the pardons of the convicted Catalan leaders on Tuesday at a cabinet meeting, but the initiative, which is designed to restart dialogue between Madrid and Barcelona, has proved highly divisive.