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| Spain braces for fourth election in as many years as deadline looms | Spain braces for fourth election in as many years as deadline looms |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Spain is bracing for its fourth election in as many years as the deadline looms for the formation of a government following April’s inconclusive vote. | Spain is bracing for its fourth election in as many years as the deadline looms for the formation of a government following April’s inconclusive vote. |
| Although the Spanish socialist party (PSOE), led by the acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, won the most votes five months ago, it fell well short of a majority in the country’s 350-seat congress. | Although the Spanish socialist party (PSOE), led by the acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, won the most votes five months ago, it fell well short of a majority in the country’s 350-seat congress. |
| Spanish PM unveils progressive policies to head off snap election | Spanish PM unveils progressive policies to head off snap election |
| Sánchez’s efforts to form a government have been hobbled by the refusal of the centre-right Citizens party to countenance a pact with the PSOE, and by the socialists’ own firm veto on entering into a coalition with the far-left, anti-austerity party Unidas Podemos. | |
| Spain’s King Felipe has been carrying out traditional consultations with party leaders in an effort to break the impasse, but hopes of a deal remain low. If an agreement is not reached by Monday 23 September a general election will be held on 10 November. | |
| However, on Monday Albert Rivera, the leader of the Citizens party, softened his line. Rivera offered to help Sánchez back into office by abstaining during any forthcoming investiture debate – if the PSOE promised not to increase taxes, ruled out pardoning the 12 Catalan leaders on trial for their role in the 2017 attempt at winning independence, and rejected the support of secessionists in the Navarra region. | |
| Voter anger over economic woes and corruptions scandals leaders to a hung parliament. The two main parties - the ruling People’s party (PP) and the Socialists (PSOE) - suffer big loses at the expense of newcomers (leftwing) Podemos and (rightwing) Ciudadanos. Neither the PP nor the PSOE manage to secure a majority in parliament to form a new government, so … | Voter anger over economic woes and corruptions scandals leaders to a hung parliament. The two main parties - the ruling People’s party (PP) and the Socialists (PSOE) - suffer big loses at the expense of newcomers (leftwing) Podemos and (rightwing) Ciudadanos. Neither the PP nor the PSOE manage to secure a majority in parliament to form a new government, so … |
| … another election is held in June. Voter turnout is the lowest since the transition to democracy in 1975. The PP’s vote share increases, but parliamentary deadlock continues. PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez refuses to allow PP leader Mariano Rajoy to form a minority government, citing the corruption scandals swirling around the PP. | … another election is held in June. Voter turnout is the lowest since the transition to democracy in 1975. The PP’s vote share increases, but parliamentary deadlock continues. PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez refuses to allow PP leader Mariano Rajoy to form a minority government, citing the corruption scandals swirling around the PP. |
| Years of simmering discontent among PSOE members with Sánchez boil over and he is ousted as leader after powerful factions rebel against his refusal to allow Rajoy to form a government. | Years of simmering discontent among PSOE members with Sánchez boil over and he is ousted as leader after powerful factions rebel against his refusal to allow Rajoy to form a government. |
| With Sánchez gone, the political paralysis is broken and Rajoy returns as PM after the PSOE abstains on an investiture vote in parliament. | With Sánchez gone, the political paralysis is broken and Rajoy returns as PM after the PSOE abstains on an investiture vote in parliament. |
| Sánchez regains the leadership of the still-divided PSOE, his hardline anti-Rajoy stance bolstered by a slew of corruption scandals involving former senior PP figures in Madrid’s regional government. | Sánchez regains the leadership of the still-divided PSOE, his hardline anti-Rajoy stance bolstered by a slew of corruption scandals involving former senior PP figures in Madrid’s regional government. |
| Rajoy becomes the first serving Spanish PM to testify in a criminal case. He emphatically denied any knowledge of an illegal funding racket in the PP. | Rajoy becomes the first serving Spanish PM to testify in a criminal case. He emphatically denied any knowledge of an illegal funding racket in the PP. |
| The president of Madrid’s regional government, PP's Cristina Cifuentes, resigns after video footage emerged of her apparently being caught stealing two tubs of face cream seven years previously. Rajoy had refused to heed calls to sack Cifuentes after an earlier scandal involving false claims about her academic qualifications. | The president of Madrid’s regional government, PP's Cristina Cifuentes, resigns after video footage emerged of her apparently being caught stealing two tubs of face cream seven years previously. Rajoy had refused to heed calls to sack Cifuentes after an earlier scandal involving false claims about her academic qualifications. |
| The PSOE calls a vote of no confidence in the scandal-plagued Rajoy administration, and it passes through parliament with the help of regional parties and Podemos. Sánchez is sworn in as PM the next day. | The PSOE calls a vote of no confidence in the scandal-plagued Rajoy administration, and it passes through parliament with the help of regional parties and Podemos. Sánchez is sworn in as PM the next day. |
| Sánchez is unable to get his 2019 budget passed through parliament after the Basque and Catalan nationalist parties who had supported him against Rajoy vote against it. Yet another election is called. | Sánchez is unable to get his 2019 budget passed through parliament after the Basque and Catalan nationalist parties who had supported him against Rajoy vote against it. Yet another election is called. |
| Another inconclusive election sees the PSOE increases its vote share, as the PP vote plummets and the far-right Vox party enters parliament for the first time. Speculation immediately turns to how the PSOE will secure the majority needed to form a government. | Another inconclusive election sees the PSOE increases its vote share, as the PP vote plummets and the far-right Vox party enters parliament for the first time. Speculation immediately turns to how the PSOE will secure the majority needed to form a government. |
| Sánchez’s efforts to put together a government are hobbled by the refusal of the Citizens party to countenance a pact with the PSOE, and by the socialists’ own firm veto on entering a coalition with Unidas-Podemos. | Sánchez’s efforts to put together a government are hobbled by the refusal of the Citizens party to countenance a pact with the PSOE, and by the socialists’ own firm veto on entering a coalition with Unidas-Podemos. |
| If an agreement is not reached by 23 September a new general election will be held on 10 November. | If an agreement is not reached by 23 September a new general election will be held on 10 November. |
| Sánchez said his party was already fulfilling the conditions. | Sánchez said his party was already fulfilling the conditions. |
| But on Tuesday, the PSOE’s organisational secretary, José Luis Ábalos, signalled a possible willingness to talk after Rivera requested an urgent meeting. | |
| Speaking to Spanish radio on Tuesday morning, he said that while the move showed that Citizens “had been part of the impasse”, the PSOE would have no problem considering the offer “if it’s genuine”. | |
| The acting PM was due to call Rivera, Podemos’s leader, Pablo Iglesias, and Pablo Casado, the leader of the conservative People’s party (PP), on Tuesday to determine their “final decision” as Monday’s deadline moved closer. | The acting PM was due to call Rivera, Podemos’s leader, Pablo Iglesias, and Pablo Casado, the leader of the conservative People’s party (PP), on Tuesday to determine their “final decision” as Monday’s deadline moved closer. |
| “Pedro Sánchez is committed to establishing a legislature without the need for elections and to creating a stable government, which is what Spain needs,” said a PSOE source. | “Pedro Sánchez is committed to establishing a legislature without the need for elections and to creating a stable government, which is what Spain needs,” said a PSOE source. |
| Recent polls have suggested the socialists would again finish first in a repeat poll, but would still fail to secure a majority. They predict the PP would finish second, picking up more seats than in April, while Citizens would fare very badly, losing between 19 and 23 seats. | |
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