The leader of the centre-right Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, failed in his first attempt in parliament to become Spain’s next prime minister on Wednesday, although he will have a final chance on Friday, which is also likely to fail.
Feijóo, who’s conservative party won the 23 July snap general elections, gained the support of his own group, the far-right VOX party, and that of regional parties Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN) and Coalición Canaria: 172 votes in favour and 178 against, mainly of the left camp, and of Catalan and Basque separatists formations.
“Feijóo is not credible every time he makes an announcement. He has no position. He insults. Feijóo left here (parliament) the same way he arrived, as leader of the opposition,” said PSOE’s parliamentary spokesman Patxi López.
After failing to reach the 176 votes needed for an absolute majority to govern, the PP leader will have another chance to win a majority in a second vote on Friday.
“On Friday, we have to vote again, and then we will see the votes, and we will have to continue working for our country”, Feijóo told reporters as he left the parliament.
The head of the opposition added that Wednesday’s parliamentary session has made it clear who won the elections, reminded that he is only four votes short of a majority, and said he was satisfied that he is doing “everything possible” to try to govern.
The election clock is ticking
Wednesday’s vote triggered the official deadline for Sánchez, the Socialist candidate, to secure a majority in parliament by 27 November, failing which new elections will be called for 14 January 2024.
However, there is no specific rule in Spanish law that determines how much time must elapse between the elections and the election of a leader, which could extend indefinitely the work of the acting executive of the PSOE and the almost defunct United Podemos, which has been almost entirely absorbed by the new progressive platform Sumar, led by the acting Labour Minister, Yolanda Díaz.
However, the Spanish Magna Carta does specify that after the first vote for a candidate, there is a two-month period for someone to get the necessary backing, or the King (Felipe VI) will dissolve parliament and call new elections, which should be held within a maximum of 47 days.
The two months would expire on 27 November, and if by then no candidate has gained the required support to be invested as the new prime minister, the 15th legislature would end, parliament would be dissolved, and new elections would be held in January 2024.
(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)
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