Sánchez No Closer To Forming New Spanish Government
Spain News
Published: 09 August 2019 08:56 CET
Updated: 10 August 2019 10:56 CET
One hundred days since Spain's general election on the 28th of April, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is still no closer to forming a new coalition government and avoiding yet another snap general election.
Sánchez and the PSOE party won 123 seats in April's election, but fell well short of the 176 absolute majority required for him to continue to be the country's Prime Minister.
Although the PSOE leader was unable to gain a clear majority, he did still have the opportunity to secure a simple majority in July, however, negotiations with anti-austerity party Unidas Podemos who they relied on for backing, broke down.
Sánchez had been willing to offer Podemos a deputy prime minister role, along with positions in health and housing and equality, but this was not enough for Podemos leader Iglesias who demanded a deputy prime minister role in social rights and equality, health, Labor and Science and University ministries, which Sánchez refused.
If the two parties are unable to come to an agreement, Spain will head for yet another general election in November, something he, the King of Spain nor the Spanish public wish to endure.
The acting PM said on Friday that he would meet with other regional parties at the end of August in an attempt to gain support, strike a deal and form a new government, therefore avoiding the prospect of a snap election.
It is thought that Sánchez will propose a new progressive social program in an attempt to garner more support from the Catalan and Basque nationalists. If an agreement cannot be found and Sánchez is not invested by the 23rd of September, the country could be heading for the polls once again.
