Financial support for Sanchez's political agenda, including Catalan separatism, is being sought through the Spanish parliament.

In a move that could reshape the balance of power at both national and European levels, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, is scheduled to meet with former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont in Brussels on September 2nd. The meeting, which will take place at the Catalan delegation to the European Union and will be held behind closed doors, comes amidst ongoing negotiations over the upcoming General State Budgets in Spain and the potential exclusion of separatist parties from the European Parliament.

The real significance of this meeting lies in the fact that the Socialist official is aware that Puigdemont's support is crucial for the stability of Pedro Sánchez's government and the approval of the upcoming General State Budgets. Puigdemont's support is considered indispensable for the political continuity of the Spanish government, a fact that has not been lost on the separatist parties.

The official reason for Illa's visit to Brussels is to inaugurate an exhibition on the millennium of the Montserrat abbey in one of the halls of the European Parliament. However, the meeting with Puigdemont coincides with another issue in the European arena - Spain's attempt to prevent parts of the EU electoral law reform that would exclude separatist parties from the European Parliament.

Spain has not ratified Council Decision 2018/994, which sets a minimum threshold for access to the European Parliament. If the clause succeeds, separatist allies of the Spanish government would be exempt from a rule that could leave them without representation in Europe. The minimum threshold is between 2% and 5%.

The government's strategy indicates a double dependency on separatist parties, both in Congress and in Brussels. The government is attempting to shield regional parties such as ERC, Junts, PNV, and BNG, arguing they represent "national and linguistic minorities". However, the Spanish party attempting to prevent the EU reform that would exclude separatist parties from the European Parliament is not explicitly named in the provided search results. Based on general knowledge, the party is likely Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) or another Catalan separatist party allied with the Spanish government in opposing these reforms.

The exclusion of Puigdemont from previous meetings fueled pressure from Junts, demanding an unequivocal gesture of political recognition following the approval of the amnesty law. Puigdemont had been demanding a direct meeting with Illa for more than a year. The amnesty law does not allow Puigdemont to return to Spain, where he remains subject to judicial proceedings for embezzlement.

The balance of power at both national and European levels could be dramatically reshaped if the separatist parties are excluded from the European Parliament. The separatist parties are aware that their support is indispensable for the political continuity of the Spanish government. As such, this meeting between Illa and Puigdemont could mark a significant shift in Spain's political landscape.