Joe Duggan (Reporter)
PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez is prepared to accept King Felipe IV’s request to stand as prime minsterial candidate, sources claimed over the weekend.
The move comes after PP leader Mariano Rajoy declined the king’s to stand at the first investiture session.
Spain has been without a government since December 20 when no party secured an overall Congress majority of 176 seats.
Sanchez is now expected to try to form a coalition with other left-wing parties, including Podemos, who won 69 seats in December’s general election and United Left (IU).
The PSOE won 89 seats, far short of the 176 seats needed for an overall majority.
On Sunday, Sanchez spoke to Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias for 20 minutes by phone.
Sanchez is believed to have reproached Iglesias for announcing on Friday that he wanted the deputy prime minister’s position in a coalition government.
The two leaders also clashed over the necessary time frame for the negotiations to form a pact.
Sanchez and Iglesias are due to hold more talks this week.
The PSOE leader has also opened dialogue with Ciudadanos, who secured 40 seats in December’s general election.
There’s a man hungry for power, ready to sup with the Devil to get it, but thinks he can “reproach” his most important potential ally. There is already a whiff of chicanery here.
I don’t like Sanchez at all, just imagine, if he gets a whiff of power, the whole of Spain can be run as badly as PSOE-led Andalucia. Good luck Spain, you are going to need it!!!
Liberals = Podemos. PSOE + Podemos = same old, same old = tristeza.
The ordinary people of Spain have nothing and expect only to be able to eat. They don’t want ocean going cruisers, posh cars, a house set in 3 acres. They don’t want thousands of euro under the mattress, they just want to be able to buy a mattress. Therefore the best government for Spain is the one that takes this into concideration and delivers these simple things to the people of Spain. These people are the majority. There is your majority. How simple is that?
Scary stuff.
Anyone selling up yet?
D/a – There speaks a Thatcherite. I remember 89/90 very well and all the small business people who supported Thatcherism. Big business just stopped paying them, they went bust and then big business bought up their little companies for a song, all completely legal.
I took great pleasure once I did’nt need my CCL anymore in shouting across the road -“how’s your good friend Thatcher, looking after you well is she?” LOL