Acting Spanish PM may head to investiture vote without support of Unidas Podemos

Acting Spanish PM may head to investiture vote without support of Unidas Podemos

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/27/inenglish/1561623443_293514.html

The leader of the anti-austerity party, Pablo Iglesias, warned that Pedro Sánchez will not have enough votes to be sworn in on the first round of voting, which is likely to take place on July 16

The political situation in Spain remains deadlocked with the Socialist Party (PSOE) and left-wing Unidas Podemos group still unable to reach an agreement that would allow Pedro Sánchez to be reelected as prime minister.

Sánchez earned the most seats at the April 26 general election, but still needs support to reach an overall majority and get back into office at a parliamentary vote.

Sánchez and Unidas Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias had agreed to negotiate a “government of cooperation” but are refusing to budge from their respective positions over what this means. The PSOE leader is willing to offer Iglesias mid-level government positions but the anti-austerity chief wants Cabinet positions that will reflect his party’s weight relative to the PSOE in parliament (42 seats versus 123) – an idea Sánchez has rejected.

In an effort to break the deadlock, the acting prime minister announced that he will set a date for the investiture vote with the speaker of Congress, Meritxell Batet, on Tuesday. While the government says no decision has yet been made, the vote is likely to happen on July 16.

But the move has not had the desired effect. On Wednesday, Iglesias warned that the first investiture vote, where an absolute majority of 176 votes is needed, will fail. “An agreement is closer than it seems, although we will have to wait two-and-a-half months,” he said.

If Sánchez does not secure enough votes at the first investiture vote, negotiations will resume after summer and a second vote, where only a simple majority is needed, will take place in September.

Unidas Podemos has accused the PSOE of looking for support from the right-wing Popular Party (PP) or center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens), which won the second- and third-highest number of seats, respectively, at the April polls. An abstention from either party would help Sánchez get reelected as prime minister.

According to the parliamentary spokesperson for Unidas Podemos, Irene Montero, setting a date for the investiture vote was a “pressure mechanism” from the PSOE. She added: “It saddens us to see how [the Socialist Party] is looking for support from the right, is threatening repeat elections and wants to go to a failed investiture ceremony.”

On Wednesday, Adriana Lastra, PSOE deputy secretary general, denied that Sánchez was looking for support from the right-wing Popular Party (PP) or center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens), which won the second- and third-highest number of seats, respectively, at the April 28 general election.

“The left knows how to understand each other. We would like Podemos to clarify if it is going to vote against the investiture of a leftist prime minister, or shake hands with the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox,” said Lastra.

The PSOE remains hopeful that Podemos or Ciudadanos, which is facing increasing internal criticism over its leader Albert Rivera’s point-black refusal to support Sánchez’s investiture, will bow to the pressure. The Socialists have not even ruled out an unlikely abstention from the PP.

But Podemos is equally optimistic that the PSOE’s “Plan A” – that Ciudadanos will abstain – will fail, meaning the party’s 42 votes will be crucial if Sánchez is to reach a majority.

The political deadlock does not just affect the investiture vote, but also how the Socialists will be able to govern and pass budgets once in power.

Repeat elections?

While some within the PSOE recognize there are advantages of repeat elections – polls show the party would improve its results while Unidas Podemos would lose more seats – they admit that it is a risky option, given the political fatigue it would cause.

“Why would someone who has won the elections and doubled the seats of the second-placed party want to repeat elections?” asked sources within the government.

According to the Spanish Constitution, if the prime minister is not sworn in within two months of the first investiture vote, new elections must be called 54 days later.

In Spain, parties argue over the meaning of “cooperation government”

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/19/inenglish/1560928229_188136.html?rel=mas

Acting PM Pedro Sánchez and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias have hit a stumbling block in their slow-moving negotiations to reach a deal ahead of an investiture vote

Acting PM Pedro Sánchez and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias have hit a stumbling block in their slow-moving negotiations to reach a deal ahead of an investiture vote

City Hall deal complicates Pedro Sánchez’s bid to stay in power

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The acting prime minister may lose the promised abstention of a pro-Catalan independence party, after the Socialists supported incumbent Mayor Ada Colau in Barcelona

Socialists, Unidas Podemos agree to negotiate “government of cooperation'

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/11/inenglish/1560259078_292095.html?rel=mas

 Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in a meeting with Unidas Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias. ULY

President Trump Attends the G20 Osaka Summit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwNME1ULAjE

‘Take a seat’: Trump ‘humiliates’ Spanish PM at G20, says outraged Spanish press (VIDEO)

https://www.rt.com/news/462923-trump-humiliates-pm-pedro-sanchez/

Donald Trump is known for stealing headlines with scathing takedowns of his political opponents, both in person and on Twitter, but this time a simple gesture was all that was needed to spark the ire of the Spanish media.

At a session of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, on Friday, Trump appeared to cut off Spain’s socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, while gesturing that he instead take a seat, before the US president nonchalantly walked away.

For his part Sanchez did sit down, while wearing an expression somewhere between a forced smile and a grimace.

El Pais described it as a ‘mocking gesture’ and added that the pair share a “practically non-existent relationship,” while TeleMadrid described a “curious encounter” and said Trump told Sanchez, “you've got a good spot,” before making good his escape.

Meanwhile, El Diario Patriota pulled no punches in describing Trump’s “humiliation” of Sanchez. The online publication also recalled Trump and Sanchez’s awkward and forced encounter at a NATO meeting in July, the two barely making eye contact and Trump answering the Spanish leader only after an awkwardly-extended pause.

Trump has form for foregoing the pomp and circumstance of diplomatic relations, appearing to “fist-bump” Britain’s Queen Elizabeth during a recent visit to the UK in which he also “snubbed” Prime Minister Theresa May (despite having shaken her hand earlier in the day).

Conservatives regain control of Madrid City Hall with help from the far right

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/17/inenglish/1560755366_658043.html?rel=mas

Protesters at investiture ceremony shout sexist insults at Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/17/inenglish/1560762013_121799.html?rel=mas

Down to the wire: Right-wing parties battle for power in Madrid City Hall

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/06/14/inenglish/1560495732_795576.html?rel=mas

Cherry blossoms and nervous bankers