Pedro Sanchez Set for Fresh Bid to Form Government in Spain

On Tuesday, Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), was nominated by King Felipe to try and form the country’s new government.

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Sanchez, who has been acting prime minister since the July 23 general election, will now conduct talks with political party leaders with the aim of establishing a viable coalition government.

His opportunity comes after the leader of the right-wing People’s Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, last week lost two investiture votes in Congress.

“I have accepted the responsibility given to me by His Majesty the King to be a candidate to be invested as prime minister,” Sanchez said, adding that he felt “honored and responsible to the whole of Spanish society.”

It will not be easy for Sanchez to gain the support needed to win an investiture vote. The PSOE has the support of its 121 legislators, who would be joined by 31 legislators of the left-wing Sumar party and predictably six legislators of Basque Country Unite (EH Bildu) and five nationalist legislators of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV).

Currently, in full negotiation are the votes of 14 pro-independence lawmakers of The Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Together for Catalonia (Junts).

Sanchez will not seek the votes of the right-wing Popular Party (PP), the far-right Vox, the regional UPN, and the Canarian Coalition to return as prime minister.

This progressive politician has until Nov.27 to form a government, otherwise, Parliament will be dissolved and new elections called for January.

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