Acting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez yesterday said that he did not have enough support to win a post-election parliamentary vote of confidence due later in the day after coalition talks with the far-left failed.
“I am very sorry to note that parliament remains blocked,” Sanchez told the lower house, adding that a deal for a coalition government with the Podemos party had “not been possible.”
Failure to get the necessary backing in the vote, which follows an inconclusive general election, moves Spain a step closer to holding its fourth such election in as many years.
Photo: Reuters
After Sanchez loses the confidence vote he would have another two months to find ways of getting support, either for a minority or coalition government.
Without a deal Spain would have to go back to the polls in November.
Representatives from both parties had been working to secure a deal for what would be Spain’s first post-dictatorship coalition government, but talks stalled on Wednesday evening.
Acting Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said Podemos’ demands for government posts were “unrealistic,” accusing the party of wanting “a parallel government” of its own.
“If to be prime minister I must renounce my principles, if I have to form a government knowing it won’t be useful for my country, then I won’t be prime minister now, that’s for sure,” Sanchez told parliament.
Podemos chief negotiator Pablo Echenique retorted that the Socialist party merely wanted to give it “a decorative role, which sounds good, but that has few real responsibilities to better people’s lives.”
Both sides had agreed to give Podemos the post of deputy prime minister with responsibility for social issues and the health ministry, but Podemos also wanted the science and labor ministries, which the Socialist party refused, preferring to give it the housing and equality ministries.
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