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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'My diary is pretty empty,' Spain's acting PM tells hoax caller | 'My diary is pretty empty,' Spain's acting PM tells hoax caller |
| (7 months later) | |
| After four years of frosty relations with Catalonia, Mariano Rajoy, the acting Spanish prime minister, was probably somewhat surprised when the newly installed Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, called to say it was time to talk. | After four years of frosty relations with Catalonia, Mariano Rajoy, the acting Spanish prime minister, was probably somewhat surprised when the newly installed Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, called to say it was time to talk. |
| Rajoy replied that they could arrange a meeting within the next 48 hours, adding: “My diary is pretty empty at the moment.” | Rajoy replied that they could arrange a meeting within the next 48 hours, adding: “My diary is pretty empty at the moment.” |
| He thanked Puigdemont for the call and reminded him they had met during the inauguration of the high-speed rail link to Girona when the latter was still mayor of the town. “I suppose we need to start talking now,” he said, to which Puigdemont replied: “We already know what we’re going to say but we need to make it official.” | He thanked Puigdemont for the call and reminded him they had met during the inauguration of the high-speed rail link to Girona when the latter was still mayor of the town. “I suppose we need to start talking now,” he said, to which Puigdemont replied: “We already know what we’re going to say but we need to make it official.” |
| “Yes, we need to do that,” Rajoy agreed. | “Yes, we need to do that,” Rajoy agreed. |
| Unfortunately for Rajoy, he had in fact been called by a presenter on a comedy radio programme, who had got through to to the president’s office with surprising ease. The hoaxer came clean when Rajoy said they could arrange a date to meet up in the next day or two. | Unfortunately for Rajoy, he had in fact been called by a presenter on a comedy radio programme, who had got through to to the president’s office with surprising ease. The hoaxer came clean when Rajoy said they could arrange a date to meet up in the next day or two. |
| “You can’t be serious,” Rajoy said when he discovered he had been conned. | “You can’t be serious,” Rajoy said when he discovered he had been conned. |
| Rajoy’s lack of engagements are explained easily enough: Spain has been without a government since 20 December’s inconclusive election. | Rajoy’s lack of engagements are explained easily enough: Spain has been without a government since 20 December’s inconclusive election. |
| Rajoy’s People’s party (PP) emerged with the most votes, taking 123 seats but falling well 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. | Rajoy’s People’s party (PP) emerged with the most votes, taking 123 seats but falling well 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. |
| Rajoy’s own hopes of remaining as prime minister then took a severe hit when the Socialist leader, Pedro Sánchez, refused to back any attempt by Rajoy to stay in power. | Rajoy’s own hopes of remaining as prime minister then took a severe hit when the Socialist leader, Pedro Sánchez, refused to back any attempt by Rajoy to stay in power. |
| Neither leader has the confidence of their own party, further complicating the situation. Rajoy faces being usurped by the deputy president, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, or the Madrid president, Cristina Cifuentes. Susana Díaz, leader of the Andalucia socialists, is eyeing up Sanchez’s job. | Neither leader has the confidence of their own party, further complicating the situation. Rajoy faces being usurped by the deputy president, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, or the Madrid president, Cristina Cifuentes. Susana Díaz, leader of the Andalucia socialists, is eyeing up Sanchez’s job. |
| Spain’s King Felipe VI is in talks with party leaders, after which he will name the party that will have the first chance to try to form a government. If the party’s candidate fails to obtain an absolute majority, followed by a simple majority in a vote of confidence, the king must put forward a new candidate. If no government is formed within two months, new elections must be held. The rumour is that Rajoy has already thrown in the towel. | Spain’s King Felipe VI is in talks with party leaders, after which he will name the party that will have the first chance to try to form a government. If the party’s candidate fails to obtain an absolute majority, followed by a simple majority in a vote of confidence, the king must put forward a new candidate. If no government is formed within two months, new elections must be held. The rumour is that Rajoy has already thrown in the towel. |
| Polls suggest no party would significantly benefit were fresh elections to be held in the spring, and that the most likely outcome is a coalition made up of the Socialists, Podemos, Basque and Catalan nationalists and Ciudadanos. | Polls suggest no party would significantly benefit were fresh elections to be held in the spring, and that the most likely outcome is a coalition made up of the Socialists, Podemos, Basque and Catalan nationalists and Ciudadanos. |