• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Spain

Spain’s Socialists and Progressives Aim For Left-Wing Coalition in Congress

  • Spain's acting President of the Government, Pedro Sanchez, receives the leader of Unidas Podemos.

    Spain's acting President of the Government, Pedro Sanchez, receives the leader of Unidas Podemos. | Photo: Pablo Iglesias Twitter

Published 7 May 2019
Opinion

After two hours of talks, both Sanchez and Iglesias came out satisfied with what seems a clear first objective: to form the Congress main Committee.

Prime Minister for the Center-left Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) Pedro Sanchez and left-wing United We Can (UP) party leader Pablo Iglesias met on Tuesday in the Palace of Moncloa to begin talks and negotiations toward striving to form a left majority coalition in parliament.

RELATED:

Socialists Win in Spain, Left or Right-Wing Gov't Still Likely 

After two hours of talks, both Sanchez and Iglesias came out satisfied with what seems a clear first objective: to form the Congress main Committee - which appoints the Congress’ president and represents both Upper and Lower houses. Parliamentary speakers, Irene Montero (UP) and Adriana Lastra (PSOE) will lead the negotiations.

Yet things are still on a very early stage, as Iglesias has summarized things with a paraprosdokian response, reminiscent of Grouch Marx. "We have agreed that we have to agree," the UP leader told reporters. Though marking a rather important step as tensions between parties were rising, even putting into question if a left-wing government was actually possible.

“We are willing to push for a dialogue without red lines, without ultimatums, and without arrogance,” stated Iglesias as his party’s intentions in this and subsequent meetings. 

Positive and constructive meeting with Pablo Iglesias, recognizing the work undertaken in these ten months from the left to advance social justice and political cleansing, which serves as the basis to establish a renewed will of cooperation and understanding.

On the April 28 general elections, the Socialists won 123 seats and 42 for UP. With the sought after coalition, they would add up to 165 seats out of the necessary 176, which will be the hardest bit as the difference will most likely come from drawing support of the nationalist parties of Catalonia or the Basque Country. 

If all this goes well, the left might govern Spain once again after a decade of right-wing Popular Party (PP) rule. Something even the right-wing has come to accept, as Albert Rivera, leader of the right-wing Citizens party, has said ruled out any other option of government, arguing the left won the elections and there is no other alternative than a PSOE-UP coalition. 

It seems then that the outcome will fall on the left’s ability to agree on common issues and negotiate those differences. 

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.