Spanish government pardons nine jailed Catalan leaders

Prime minister says controversial decision represents constitution's spirit of co-existence and harmony'

Spain's prime minister has called for a new era of dialogue and understanding" as his Socialist-led government pardoned nine Catalan independence leaders for their roles in the illegal, failed push for regional secession four years ago that plunged the country into its gravest political crisis in decades.

Announcing the partial, and bitterly controversial, pardons on Tuesday, Pedro Sanchez said the decision had been taken in the interests of national unity and social cohesion.