2023-08-06 16:47:59
Selfless gift or devil’s kiss? The far right in Spain indicated on Sunday that it would support a possible investiture of the leader of the conservatives as prime minister without setting conditions, a scenario which remains unlikely two weeks after the legislative elections. The far-right Vox party had previously demanded entry into government, as it was able to do in four regions and several municipalities thanks to coalitions with the People’s Party (PP, right), a condition which has disappeared in recent years. statements on Sunday by its leader, Santiago Abascal.
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who came out on top in the ballot, immediately welcomed “this progress” which “recognizes the victory” of his party. “The proposal I am making is that of a government of the PP alone,” he added during a trip to Galicia, his native region. This change of strategy comes in the midst of a political deadlock for the right-wing bloc.
Sanchez favorite but…
In the legislative elections of July 23, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) of Pedro Sánchez came second with 121 seats, behind the 137 of the PP. But because of the game of alliances, Pedro Sánchez has more chances than his rival, who can a priori only count on Vox, to gather the support necessary to be invested head of government by the deputies. The fate of Pedro Sánchez, however, depends on a favorable vote of the Catalan separatists of Junts per Catalunya, which Vox considers “the enemies of Spain” since their attempt at secession in 2017.
The leader of the far-right formation described Sunday as a “serious threat to the constitutional order” the possibility that Pedro Sánchez will be invested with the support of the Basque and Catalan separatists and that he “concedes” to them the referendum of self-determination they demand in exchange for their vote. In a press release, Santiago Abascal adds that his 33 deputies “will support a constitutional majority” in Parliament “allowing the formation of a government to avoid this threat”, thus implying that they will support the PP.
Alberto Núñez Feijoo would however need a few additional votes to be invested and govern alone. Several small parties had ruled out supporting a coalition in which Vox would participate and it seems unlikely that a sufficient number will change their minds even after the far right has given up its government claims. And, except huge surprise, a reversal of jacket of Socialist deputies is to be excluded. A PSOE official, Patxi Lopez, reacted on Sunday by saying that Alberto Núñez Feijoo and the PP were ready to do anything “no matter the cost” to “access power”, recalling the existence of pacts between the PP and Vox in several regions.
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