Sanchez stumbled at the first hurdle to form a coalition government on Wednesday when the centre-right People’s Party (PP) and leftist Podemos voted against his bid, setting the country on course for another election in two months.
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In the interim, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who led the country from 2011 to 2015, will continue on as acting premier until a deal is reached or new elections are held.
Spain’s Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez listens to a lawmaker during the second investiture debate at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Friday, March 4, 2016. Sanchez had hoped to form a coalition with the center-right party Ciudadanos, but was defeated by 131 votes in favor to 219 against.
New talks between political parties will now start and Spain’s King Felipe may ask a new candidate to try and form a majority before May 2, when new elections would have to be called.
Many austerity-weary Spaniards deserted the two traditional parties to vote for newcomers, spreading votes thinly in a trend repeated in Portugal and Ireland following one of the worst recessions of modern times.
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias also criticized Sanchez, but offered the PSOE leader the chance to form a coalition with his left-wing party, saying that although a pact between the two parties was neither’s first option, it gave Spain the chance of a “progressive government”.
Sanchez only needs a simple majority – more votes for than against – unlike in Wednesday’s vote when he failed to get an absolute majority with just 130 of the 350-seat parliament.
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Elections are expected to take place June 26, leaving the country in a vacuum of power for the time being. At least 176 seats are required for a parliamentary majority, necessary to form a government.
