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| Spain’s parliament poised to back new left-wing government in vote | Spain’s parliament poised to back new left-wing government in vote |
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| ROME — After nearly a year without a government, Spain is expected to end its deadlock on Tuesday with a parliamentary vote to approve a left-wing coalition led by current caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. | ROME — After nearly a year without a government, Spain is expected to end its deadlock on Tuesday with a parliamentary vote to approve a left-wing coalition led by current caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. |
| The vote, which is projected to be tight, would open the door for a government composed of the country’s traditional left-wing party, the Socialists, and its erstwhile foe, far-left Unidas Podemos. It would vault the left fully back into power in Spain at a time when other mainstream pro-European parties across the continent have struggled to combat populism or overcome disenchantment with the political status quo. | The vote, which is projected to be tight, would open the door for a government composed of the country’s traditional left-wing party, the Socialists, and its erstwhile foe, far-left Unidas Podemos. It would vault the left fully back into power in Spain at a time when other mainstream pro-European parties across the continent have struggled to combat populism or overcome disenchantment with the political status quo. |
| But while the parliamentary vote would restore a measure of clarity to Europe’s fifth-largest economy, the new government figures to be fragile. It will control a minority of seats in parliament and depend on support from a constellation of smaller parties while dealing with budget issues and the Catalonia region’s divisive bid for independence. | But while the parliamentary vote would restore a measure of clarity to Europe’s fifth-largest economy, the new government figures to be fragile. It will control a minority of seats in parliament and depend on support from a constellation of smaller parties while dealing with budget issues and the Catalonia region’s divisive bid for independence. |
| Most controversially, the left’s path to power has hinged on a Catalan separatist party, which has pledged to abstain in Tuesday’s vote. The procedure requires only the “Yes” votes to outnumber the “No” votes, so abstentions can help launch a minority government into power. | Most controversially, the left’s path to power has hinged on a Catalan separatist party, which has pledged to abstain in Tuesday’s vote. The procedure requires only the “Yes” votes to outnumber the “No” votes, so abstentions can help launch a minority government into power. |
| Spain’s conservative parties, including far-right Vox, have criticized Sánchez for bargaining with the Catalan separatists, who want their prosperous region in the northeast to break away from the rest of the country. Sánchez has pledged to reopen talks with the Catalans while saying that “Spain is not going to fracture.” | Spain’s conservative parties, including far-right Vox, have criticized Sánchez for bargaining with the Catalan separatists, who want their prosperous region in the northeast to break away from the rest of the country. Sánchez has pledged to reopen talks with the Catalans while saying that “Spain is not going to fracture.” |
| Media projections indicate that Sánchez’s new government will receive 167 votes in support, with 165 in opposition and 18 parliamentarians abstaining. | Media projections indicate that Sánchez’s new government will receive 167 votes in support, with 165 in opposition and 18 parliamentarians abstaining. |
| Ahead of elections in Spain, Catalan independence again dominates | Ahead of elections in Spain, Catalan independence again dominates |
| After securing the pledge of the Catalan separatist ERC party last week, the Socialists emphasized that they were not greenlighting an official referendum on independence. Though some pro-independence Catalans might view the ERC as traitors for dealing with the government, ERC is trying to position itself as a party moving ahead with negotiations after other efforts to spark independence have failed and drawn fierce pushback from Madrid. | After securing the pledge of the Catalan separatist ERC party last week, the Socialists emphasized that they were not greenlighting an official referendum on independence. Though some pro-independence Catalans might view the ERC as traitors for dealing with the government, ERC is trying to position itself as a party moving ahead with negotiations after other efforts to spark independence have failed and drawn fierce pushback from Madrid. |
| “It’s clear that the unilateral route toward independence failed,” said Carlos Barrera, a politics professor at the University of Navarra. “So they are now looking to go toward the negotiated route and see how much they can get from a weak government. ERC is now personifying that route with this gamble. If the negotiation fails, at least ERC can say they tried. And if it succeeds, they can claim victory.” | “It’s clear that the unilateral route toward independence failed,” said Carlos Barrera, a politics professor at the University of Navarra. “So they are now looking to go toward the negotiated route and see how much they can get from a weak government. ERC is now personifying that route with this gamble. If the negotiation fails, at least ERC can say they tried. And if it succeeds, they can claim victory.” |
| Spain has had four general elections in just over four years, a period of instability that has come as upstart parties have tried to break up the nation’s long-standing two-party system. But while the traditional Socialists and right-center Popular Party have lost ground, none of the upstarts has managed to fully sweep in, leading to a fragmented landscape where elections produce either weak governments or no government at all. | Spain has had four general elections in just over four years, a period of instability that has come as upstart parties have tried to break up the nation’s long-standing two-party system. But while the traditional Socialists and right-center Popular Party have lost ground, none of the upstarts has managed to fully sweep in, leading to a fragmented landscape where elections produce either weak governments or no government at all. |
| Spain was once thought to be immune to the far-right. Vox is proving otherwise. | Spain was once thought to be immune to the far-right. Vox is proving otherwise. |
| An April 2019 election produced no government; the Socialists won the most votes, but then squabbled with Podemos about joining hands. Instead, Spain went back to the polls. In that November vote, the Socialists again won the most seats — but fewer than before, and Podemos fared worse as well. This time, the formal Sánchez and the ponytailed Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias quickly drew up a deal, chastened by their previous failure and hoping to avoid yet another return to the polls. Analysts say the parties were also moving to stave off far-right Vox, which has emerged as Spain’s fastest-growing party. | An April 2019 election produced no government; the Socialists won the most votes, but then squabbled with Podemos about joining hands. Instead, Spain went back to the polls. In that November vote, the Socialists again won the most seats — but fewer than before, and Podemos fared worse as well. This time, the formal Sánchez and the ponytailed Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias quickly drew up a deal, chastened by their previous failure and hoping to avoid yet another return to the polls. Analysts say the parties were also moving to stave off far-right Vox, which has emerged as Spain’s fastest-growing party. |
| The new government’s first order of business will be to pass the general budget for Spain, which has been on hold for nearly two years. Negotiations over that budget last year caused a previous Sánchez government to collapse after he failed to get his backing for his plan. | The new government’s first order of business will be to pass the general budget for Spain, which has been on hold for nearly two years. Negotiations over that budget last year caused a previous Sánchez government to collapse after he failed to get his backing for his plan. |
| With his anti-austerity partners Podemos in government, Sánchez has said he will immediately focus on overhauling the tax system, labor reform and housing costs. | With his anti-austerity partners Podemos in government, Sánchez has said he will immediately focus on overhauling the tax system, labor reform and housing costs. |
| “The world is not only going to keep spinning with absolute normality, but also in many ways its possible it will improve soon,” wrote Juan Tortosa Monday in left-leaning daily Publico. “And that is the reality the harbingers of disaster fear.” | “The world is not only going to keep spinning with absolute normality, but also in many ways its possible it will improve soon,” wrote Juan Tortosa Monday in left-leaning daily Publico. “And that is the reality the harbingers of disaster fear.” |
| Spain was once thought to be immune to the far-right. Vox is proving otherwise. | Spain was once thought to be immune to the far-right. Vox is proving otherwise. |
| Ahead of elections in Spain, Catalan independence again dominates | Ahead of elections in Spain, Catalan independence again dominates |
| Spain’s leader offers an alternative to Trumpism | |
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