The election of Socialist Pedro Sanchez is complicated as Spanish Prime Minister

USPA NEWS - The populist extreme left displayed in Podemos and communist United Left have withdrawn their support for the Socialist candidate for the Presidency of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, and will vote against his investiture.

After the signing, on Wednesday, the agreement between the Socialist Party (PSOE its acronym in Spanish) and the centrist formation of Citizens, both the populist extreme left displayed in Podemos as the communists of the United Left has withdrawn its support for Pedro Sanchez and they vote against his inauguration next week. Podemos suspended the meeting scheduled with the Socialists because "the PSOE has already chosen" and has opted for the centrist Citizens, which the Spanish left considered a tool of the conservative Popular Party.

With the withdrawal of support Podemos and United Left, choosing as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez becomes impossible. At 90 deputies of PSOE add 40 of Citizens and a deputy of the nationalist formation Canary Coalition. In total, 131 votes in favor of the appointment of Pedro Sanchez, far from the 176 votes needed for an absolute majority. But they are not enough to be elected in the second round, when a simple majority is sufficient. Because contrary will the 122 Conservative MPs, extreme left populist Podemos have 65, nine members of the Catalan Republican (ERC its acronym in Spanish), eight Catalan nationalist deputies, two of United Left and two from the Basque separatist Bildu. In total, 208 votes against.

Ten deputies (six of Basque nationalists and four of Valencian nationalism) intend to abstain in the vote next week, although it is not excluded that they can vote for Pedro Sanchez. But even then the Socialist candidate would have a majority in Parliament, so that, unless things change between now and next Tuesday, when he will begin the investiture session, ahead of 24 hours by the president of the Lower House, Patxi Lopez, Socialist candidate fail. And if it does, Spain will aim at a new election to be held on Sunday June 26.

Before that date, the acting Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, may submit an application. This was announced this week and said that, after the failure of Pedro Sanchez, called the Socialist candidate to request support for the grand coalition defending conservatives. Rajoy insists that the next Prime Minister should be him and says that Government should be a coalition between the conservative Popular Party, the Socialist Party and Citizens.