Aside from the largest socialist party, who came second, that could mean dealing with Podemos, the movement born out of austerity and street protests.
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Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his Popular Party (PP) will attempt to form a government following Sunday’s elections, despite losing its parliamentary majority.
Albert Rivera, leader of business-friendly Ciudadanos, which won 40 seats in parliament, came out in support of a PP minority government, which would negotiate with Ciudadanos, the Socialists and Podemos to support it in votes on different laws.
Spain joined a global backlash against establishment politics as voters opted to challenge a two-party system that has seen the People’s Party and the Socialists alternate in power for the past 33 years.
Linking with the Socialist party, spearheaded by Pedro Sanchez, is the only way Rajoy can obtain the right numbers to form an alliance but Sanchez’s desire to make the party more leftist makes that unlikely.
PP has also been damaged by corruption allegations that emerged in October, something Rajoy has staunchly denied.
Such a pact would fall far short of the 176 seats needed for an absolute majority, totalling 163 seats.
According to the poll, published by Spain’s RTVE national broadcaster, the PP would have between 114 and 118 of the 350 seats in Congress, with PSOE on 81-85, Podemos 76-80 and Ciudadanos 47-50.
Spain’s Prime Minister and People’s Party candidate Mariano Rajoy gestures while addressing supporters from a balcony at the party headquarters next to his wife Elvira Fernandez after results were announced in Spain’s general election in Madrid, Spain, Monday.
“Reaching a deal between the Socialists, Ciudadanos and Podemos is not going to be straightforward….” To secure a simple numerical victory in a later round of voting, Mr Rajoy could still be defeated by the Left-wing parties PSOE and Podemos, plus Basque and Catalan nationalists, who have been at loggerheads with the conservative government over the past four years.
The Euro gapped down against the US Dollar at the open of the trading week after preliminary results from Spain’s general election crossed the wires. If the candidate is not immediately successful, Parliament has two months to elect a prime minister or call a new election.
After decades of a two-party system between the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the Socialists (PSOE), the next Spanish government looks highly uncertain.
“I am asking everyone to show responsibility, because the stability of Spain is at stake, progress in the economic recovery is at stake”, Fernando Martinez-Maillo, a top PP official, told Cadena Ser radio. Spain’s economy grew by 3% this year, and unemployment had fallen from a historic 27% to 21%. “At best, Spain will end up with a weak government”.
This would entail a strained period of postelection negotiations ending with the nominated party leader winning a vote of confidence in Parliament to take office.
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Under the constitution, King Felipe VI will invite a party leader – normally the party with the most votes – to form a government.
