Spain’s Socialists to Vote against Government, Raising Risk of New Election
Local Editor
Spain's Socialists will vote against the government of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in a confidence vote Wednesday, party leader Pedro Sanchez told parliament, potentially triggering the countdown to a third national election in a year.
Spain has been without a functioning government since inconclusive elections in June and December and parties are under pressure to end a political deadlock which has stalled investment and cast a pall over an economic recovery.
But, Wednesday, Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the opposition Socialists, which trailed Rajoy's center-right People's Party [PP] in both elections, has steadfastly refused to back Rajoy who needs his party's support to form a coalition.
The PP is six seats short of the absolute majority of 176 seats it needs in the first investiture vote, even with the support of liberal party Ciudadanos, which was agreed Sunday, and with the one extra seat from a minor Canary Islands party.
If Rajoy loses Wednesday's vote, a second vote will take place Friday in which delegates can abstain. He need a simple majority only in that vote to allow him to form a government.
The PP would need just 11 abstentions to win this second vote, but a loss is also likely if the Socialists do not cede.
Such a loss for Rajoy's PP in the second vote would trigger a two-month window to form a government at the end of which another election would be called, possibly on Christmas Day.
A loss in both votes this week would shift the focus onto regional elections on Sept. 25 in the Basque Country and Galicia where the Socialists hope to avoid a further erosion of support.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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