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Spain: Podemos leader ready to give up power for new gov’t Socialists: Spain closer to new gov*t than fresh elections
(about 2 hours later)
MADRID — Spain’s far left Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias says he’s prepared to give up his demand for the No. 2 government job in a deal to form a government with the center-left Socialist Party. MADRID — Spain*s Socialist party said Wednesday it is closer to forming a government and averting fresh elections following its meeting with the far-left Podemos party.
Iglesias made the declaration Wednesday after meeting with Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez in an attempt to break a three-month political deadlock following Spain’s inconclusive Dec. 20 election. The Socialists, who won 90 seats in the 350-seat parliament in inconclusive Dec. 20 elections, are struggling to win support to form a government and end the four-year stint in power of the conservative Popular Party.
Iglesias now says the deputy prime minister job could go to someone else from Podemos. They have already made a deal with the business-friendly Ciudadanos party, which won 40 seats, but also need the backing of Podemos, which controls 69 seats.
The Socialists have already made a deal with the business-friendly Ciudadanos party but need Podemos* support. Sanchez said that in his two-hour talk with Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias both agreed they want to avoid fresh elections but also oust the Popular Party government of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
The conservative Popular Party won the most votes but did not retain its 2011-2015 parliamentary majority. Rajoy*s party won the most seats — 123 — but failed to retain its 2011-2015 parliamentary majority and cannot find anyone to back its bid to stay in office.
The Socialists were second, Podemos was third and Ciudadanos came fourth. To date, Podemos has refused to back Sanchez unless he breaks with Ciudadanos, which it views as being too far right. But Sanchez said Iglesias had dropped that demand. So far, Ciudadanos has rejected deals including Podemos.
None of the three will ally with the Popular Party. Earlier, Iglesias said he was prepared to drop another demand — to be given the No. 2 government job — so as to permit a government deal. He said the job of deputy prime minister could go to someone else from Podemos.
If a government is not formed by April 29, fresh elections will be called for June 26.
Podemos and Ciudadanos are new to parliament, both having benefited from widespread voter outrage over Spain’s 21 percent unemployment rate and austerity measures invoked by the Popular Party.
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Associated Press writer Alan Clendenning in Madrid contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.