PSOE and We can agree to form government in Spain

After 4 elections in four years, preliminary strike may end political impasse; agreement still depends on alliance with smaller parties

After the fourth election in four years , the Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE) and the coalition of United Left We Can (UP) parties reached a preliminary agreement to form a new government in Spain , despite the far-right advance in last sunday 10.

"The country needs a government that begins to move on as soon as possible," said Pedro Sánchez, PSOE leader and interim prime minister shortly after the pact that was presented to the Congress of Deputies, which he considered "stable" to begin. a mandate.

Until then, Pablo Iglesias, representative of the UP coalition, refused to form an alliance with the PSOE. The last attempt to form a coalition came after April's election this year. With the deadline for the government organization approaching, Sanchez was forced to call new elections for November 10.

In Spain, a majority in Parliament is needed to form a government. In all, there are 350 seats, and the PSOE reached 120, while the UP came in fourth place with 35. Thus, there would still be 16, which are being sought in other left and regional parties.

According to the Spanish press, Iglesias was agreed to have the post of Deputy Prime Minister, in a clear signal that the PSOE has finally relented in sharing power. Iglesias called the deal "the best vaccine against the far right."

Alberto Garzón, another May leadership, anticipated the formation of the government on his Twitter account. He said that with the negotiations "we have reached an agreement for a coalition government between Unidas Somos and PSOE." Shortly thereafter, Sanchez and Iglesias announced the new government at a press conference.

The agreement signed by the Spanish left does not yet detail the distribution of positions or the operation of the new government. However, it presents in 10 articles the principles that will be followed by the new coalition.

Measures will include policies to reduce job insecurity, encourage small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed people, tackle climate change, invest in culture and education, and especially “ensure dialogue within Catalonia” always based on the Constitution. Spanish.

The PSOE was the most voted subtitle in Sunday's elections. Second was the main opposition party, the conservative People's Party (PP). But the big winner was Vox, the right-most party in the Spanish parliamentary spectrum, which just seven months after its entry into the Congress of Deputies presents itself as the third most voted caption, with 52 seats, more than double the number. 24 obtained in April.