This Monday, August 21, the King of Spain Felipe VI called the first round of consultations with the political parties to propose a candidate for the investiture, a necessary process to designate a president of the government, after the inconclusive general elections. , on July 23. However, no bench has yet obtained the necessary majority to ensure that its candidate is sworn in and some political formations consider that the round of talks is “premature” due to the lack of consensus.
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Spain continues with its process to appoint a prime minister after the general elections on July 23, in which no political party obtained an absolute majority, of at least 176 seats, to govern alone. Given the inconclusive results, political alliances are key in this process.
For this reason, this Monday, August 21, King Felipe VI began the round of consultations to decide whether or not to designate a candidate for the investiture due to a lack of consensus between the political formations.
The head of state – who is the king according to the parliamentary monarchy of Spain – will first meet with the leaders of the two most voted parties Pedro Sánchez, of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), and the leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP). Alberto Núñez Feijó, before deciding whether or not to propose a candidate for the investiture.
There are still many doubts as to whether any of the candidates would obtain an absolute majority, half plus one of the Congress of Deputies, with a total of 350 seats, in order to be sworn in as president. For this reason, some political movements such as the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) have asked the king not to call the investiture yet.
“This round of talks has been convened somewhat hastily, since the uncertainty about possible majorities is absolute,” said Aitor Esteban, leader of the PNV, in a meeting with the king at the Zarzuela.
But the head of state will have the last word on the matter. Article 99.1 of the Constitution establishes that the monarch “will propose a candidate for the Presidency of the Government.” But he does not have a deadline to do it and he can carry out the consultations that he considers necessary with the representatives of the different political formations before making any official announcement.
During the weekend, the PSOE had criticized the PP for asking for an investiture for which they do not have enough support. However, this Monday the party led by Pedro Sánchez changed its tone and indicated that it will support the monarch’s proposal “whatever it is”, even if it is that of a failed investiture.
Independence parties and the Canary Islands Coalition, support in the air
The board of alliances to form a government in Spain is in constant movement. The PSOE is after the support of the pro-independence parties such as Junts per Catalunya and Esquerra Republicana, which have set amnesty for prisoners for the failed Catalan independence process as a “red line” to give their support to the government. A concession to which the Sánchez Administration had resisted until now.
On the other hand, other parties such as the conservative Coalición Canaria are playing both sides. This Monday, the formation of the Canary Islands assured that it would support an investiture of Feijóo with the PP -for which they plan to sign an agreement on Tuesday, August 22-, but it could also support Sánchez depending on what each party offers for its territory .
“If the PSOE wants the support of the Canary Islands Coalition, it has to ensure two things: send the more than 200 million pending and agreed with the party to the Canary Islands and accept the ‘Canary Islands agenda,'” said Cristina Valido, the party’s only deputy on Congress of Deputies.
Others, such as the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), also believe that the PSOE has not yet negotiated enough.
“First they have to say what they want to do with the legislature and with what support,” said Aitor Esteban in this regard.
Now, Spain faces two possible scenarios: either one of the candidates achieves the absolute majority necessary to be sworn in as Prime Minister, or else the country will have to go to elections again. A panorama that the nation already experienced four years ago.
With local media
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