Sunday

10th Dec 2023

Spain heading for yet another general election

  • Pablo Iglesias (l) with Pedro Sanchez, who runs a minority government with Iglesias' support (Photo: Podemos)

A one-month countdown began on Friday (23 August) for Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez to form a new government or face elections.

His centre-left Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) has until 23 September to do a deal with the leftist Unidas Podemos (UP) - a coalition of the Podemos and the United Left parties.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

If he does not make it then parliament is to be dissolved, with elections, the fourth ones in just four years, will be held on 10 November.

Sanchez won the highest number of seats in April elections, but fell short of an absolute majority.

He tried to agree a coalition programmer with the leader of Unidas Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, but negotiations broke down and Sanchez was forced to lead a minority government instead.

Earlier this month, Sanchez appealed for a deal because, he said "the majority of Spaniards do not want to vote again".

The King of Spain, Felipe VI, also stated that "it would be best to find a solution before going to elections".

But there is little sign of a breakthrough for now.

The Socialists, who have 123 seats in Congress, depend on the support of Unidas Podemos' 42 deputies.

But the failure of previous coalition talks "have contributed to a serious increase of distrust between the two parties," the PSOE previously said.

Earlier this week, the PSOE also rejected another coalition formula put forward by Unidas Podemos.

The leftist union asked to get the post of deputy prime minister in charge of social rights and equality and three other ministries.

Iglesias also asked Sanchez to stop with "criticisms and arrogances" and to move forward with negotiations.

"People are tired of being teased," Iglesias said.

His coalition ideas were little different to previous ones that the PSOE had already rejected, however.

Such a government would have "an impossible daily routine" and would not function properly, Spanish acting deputy PM, Carmen Calvo, has said.

If Unidas Podemos does not budge then the elections are likely to follow.

And the right-wing opposition is already getting prepared for a new showdown.

The right-wing Popular Party (PP) of Pablo Casado has called for an alliance with the centre-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) party in what Casado described as the "very likely" snap elections.

He is also eyeing up ways to poach votes from the far-right Vox party, which entered parliament for the first time in April.

Polls indicate that the PP is currently the second biggest force In Spanish politic, with 13.7 percent support.

"We do not exclude the possibility of elections because we see that those who had the best electoral result [PSOE] are not doing anything to form a government," Cuca Gamarra, the PP's deputy secretary in charge of social policy said on Thursday.

Spanish socialist leader strengthened by EU vote

The Spanish social democrats becomes the biggest national group among the European socialists, after winning the Spanish European election - which also sees a Catalan separatist in jail elected as MEP.

Spanish PM hopes to avoid election with 300-point plan

Spain's acting PM Pedro Sánchez insists he can solve the country's political deadlock without repeating elections or agreeing on a coalition government. Instead, he is trying to get the backing of the left-wing party Unidas Podemos with over 300 proposals.

Can Sunday's election end Spain's endless deadlock?

Uncertainty surrounding this weekend's Spanish election - the fourth in four years - is rising, as polls suggest that the outcome of Sunday's vote could be as inconclusive April's election. Thousands of police are on the streets of Barcelona.

Far-right Vox celebrates, as Spain left without majority

Although the governing Socialists Party (PSOE) won the most seats at Sunday's elections, the political deadlock continues with a deeply-fragmented scenario, in which the far-right Vox party is in a strong position while the centre has become irrelevant.

Opinion

Tusk's difficult in-tray on Poland's judicial independence

What is obvious is that PiS put in place a set of interlocking safeguards for itself which, even after their political defeat in Poland, will render it very difficult for the new government to restore the rule of law.

Opinion

Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?

Six months ahead of the EU elections, knocking an 'elitist' climate agenda is looking like a vote-winner to some. Saving the Green Deal and the EU's climate ambitions starts with listening to Europeans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us