2023-10-04 03:01:00
This Tuesday, King Felipe VI proposed the socialist Pedro Sánchez as a candidate for the investiture, in the second attempt to elect President of the Government in Spain following the leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, failed.
The monarch transmitted his decision to the president of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol, and the current acting president will be able to formally begin contacts with the rest of the parties to seek the votes necessary for his investiture.
The latter will take place following the failed attempt by Feijóo, who last week did not obtain the necessary support among the rest of the parties in either of the two votes in the Spanish Chamber.
Armengol appeared in Congress to communicate the king’s decision and indicated that he will only call a new investiture plenary session with Sánchez’s candidacy when the political negotiations “are mature”, although he recalled that the maximum date is November 27.
The decision of the Spanish monarch to propose Sánchez as a candidate was expected, since the socialist leader had shown his desire to seek re-election and to reissue the progressive coalition government with the left-wing Sumar formation.
The political problem of Catalonia
Sánchez expressly rejected the holding of a self-determination referendum in Catalonia, in his first intervention before the media following being designated a candidate. It was a first message given the known conditions of the Catalan independence parties.
At a press conference, the socialist leader affirmed that it is time for “generosity”, “commitment”, “leadership” and “politics” to solve the “political problem” of Catalonia and to move forward with the investiture and assured that when he speaks with all the parliamentary groups he will “establish a position” on his demands.
The leader of the PSOE also defended the “difficult” decision he made last year regarding the pardons of those convicted of the secessionist attempt in Catalonia in October 2017, because today he can confirm “that it was correct” and well taken for the sake of of the general interest.
Without openly mentioning an amnesty law, Sánchez acknowledged that there are conversations with the different pro-independence groups and forces. “I don’t have to hide it,” he said, before pointing out that they are and will be discreet, but that the agreements, which he hopes will occur, will be public and will have the endorsement of Congress and even the Constitutional Court.
After confessing himself “excited and honored” by the mandate of the polls and the king’s commission, he recalled that his investiture will not be a “joke.” “I’m not going to a false investiture, it’s going to be real,” he assured, insisting that he “is not going to waste the Spaniards’ time.”
The two Catalan independence parties – Esquerra Republicana and Junts – demand that Sánchez approve an amnesty law for politicians convicted for the secessionist attempt in Catalonia in October 2017 and advance the recognition of the right of self-determination to hold an independence referendum.
They are not the only ones who condition their support. The Galician nationalist party BNG, whose only deputy voted once morest Feijóo’s investiture, also recently warned Sánchez that he does not have his support guaranteed.
Sánchez must gather enough support to be able to be sworn in in the Lower House, either with an absolute majority in the first vote or with a simple majority, following 48 hours of that session.
The PSOE has the support of its 121 deputies, who would be joined by the 31 of Sumar and predictably the 6 Basque independence deputies of EH Bildu and the 5 of the Basque nationalists of the PNV. In full negotiation are the votes of the Catalan secessionists of ERC and Junts, who have 7 parliamentarians each.
In a first call, Sánchez needs an absolute majority (176 seats) and, if unsuccessful, following 48 hours there would be a second vote in which he would only need a simple majority.
If it fails, the Cortes would be dissolved and the general elections would be repeated on January 14 of next year.
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