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| Spain's main rivals meet as wrangling to form government begins | Spain's main rivals meet as wrangling to form government begins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, met with the Socialist party leader, Pedro Sánchez, on Wednesday, kicking off what could be months of political wrangling as leaders seek to form a government from the country’s splintered election result. | Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, met with the Socialist party leader, Pedro Sánchez, on Wednesday, kicking off what could be months of political wrangling as leaders seek to form a government from the country’s splintered election result. |
| The 40-minute encounter between the two leaders was their first since the country’s elections, which saw the People’s party (PP) emerge with the most votes and 123 seats but fall short of a majority in the 350-seat legislature. Millions of voters instead backed two political upstart parties, the centrist Ciudadanos and the leftwing Podemos, yielding a deeply fragmented legislature with few options for forming a stable government. | |
| Related: 'We are in uncharted waters': readers react to the Spanish general election | |
| In recent days the Socialists – whose 90 seats make them key to deciding what the country’s next government will look like – have said repeatedly that they will not support a government led by Rajoy in any way. | In recent days the Socialists – whose 90 seats make them key to deciding what the country’s next government will look like – have said repeatedly that they will not support a government led by Rajoy in any way. |
| After meeting Rajoy on Wednesday, Sánchez said little had changed. “We’re going to fulfil the mandate that citizens demanded in the election with a government of change that guarantees dialogue,” he said. “A no to Rajoy is a yes to change.” | After meeting Rajoy on Wednesday, Sánchez said little had changed. “We’re going to fulfil the mandate that citizens demanded in the election with a government of change that guarantees dialogue,” he said. “A no to Rajoy is a yes to change.” |
| It was the first time the two leaders had spoken in person since last week’s acrimonious campaign debate, in which Sánchez called Rajoy indecent and argued he should have resigned two years ago after being mired in allegations of corruption. Rajoy dismissed the accusations, calling Sánchez “mean, petty and miserable”. | It was the first time the two leaders had spoken in person since last week’s acrimonious campaign debate, in which Sánchez called Rajoy indecent and argued he should have resigned two years ago after being mired in allegations of corruption. Rajoy dismissed the accusations, calling Sánchez “mean, petty and miserable”. |
| The Socialists are now the PP’s best hope for leading a stable government. A grand coalition – unprecedented in Spanish politics – to prop up the PP is a tough sell, given that it would likely cripple the Socialists’ prospects for future elections. | The Socialists are now the PP’s best hope for leading a stable government. A grand coalition – unprecedented in Spanish politics – to prop up the PP is a tough sell, given that it would likely cripple the Socialists’ prospects for future elections. |
| Sánchez said on Wednesday that the Socialists would instead reach out to other parties – such as Podemos with its 69 seats and Ciudadanos with 40 seats – to explore all options for change. “Spain needs a big transformation … the Socialists will seek to build bridges of dialogue and agreement,” he said. | Sánchez said on Wednesday that the Socialists would instead reach out to other parties – such as Podemos with its 69 seats and Ciudadanos with 40 seats – to explore all options for change. “Spain needs a big transformation … the Socialists will seek to build bridges of dialogue and agreement,” he said. |
| The PP sought to emphasise that Wednesday’s sit-down between the two leaders was just the beginning of what could be a long process. “There is still a way to go,” Fernando Martínez-Maillo, a PP official, told reporters. | The PP sought to emphasise that Wednesday’s sit-down between the two leaders was just the beginning of what could be a long process. “There is still a way to go,” Fernando Martínez-Maillo, a PP official, told reporters. |
| “Now isn’t the time to think about the PP or Socialists, but rather Spaniards,” he added, lamenting that Sánchez had arrived at the meeting with his mind already set on what his answer would be. | “Now isn’t the time to think about the PP or Socialists, but rather Spaniards,” he added, lamenting that Sánchez had arrived at the meeting with his mind already set on what his answer would be. |
| Shortly before Rajoy and Sánchez were set to meet, the Ciudadanos leader, Albert Rivera, floated the idea of a three-way pact with the PP and Socialists, which would see Podemos marginalised. | Shortly before Rajoy and Sánchez were set to meet, the Ciudadanos leader, Albert Rivera, floated the idea of a three-way pact with the PP and Socialists, which would see Podemos marginalised. |
| The alliance would combat political uncertainty, said Rivera, as well as block the Podemos demand for a referendum in Catalonia. “We propose a pact with the PP and Socialists so that nobody takes advantage of the weakness, uncertainty and instability to break up this country,” said Rivera. Any such pact would also offer the centre-right party a role that would amplify its fourth-place result in the election. | The alliance would combat political uncertainty, said Rivera, as well as block the Podemos demand for a referendum in Catalonia. “We propose a pact with the PP and Socialists so that nobody takes advantage of the weakness, uncertainty and instability to break up this country,” said Rivera. Any such pact would also offer the centre-right party a role that would amplify its fourth-place result in the election. |
| On Wednesday, the PP said that Rajoy would meet with both Rivera and the Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias, early next week to continue exploring possibilities for forming a government. If parties fail to reach an agreement, new elections could be called in the spring. |