Government talks are expected to be challenging, as the Partido Popular narrowly defeated incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Workers Party.
king of Spain Felipe VI named the leader of the Partido Popular yesterday Alberto Nunez Feijoon to form a new government in the country. Feijoo is then scheduled to become the country’s new prime minister.
Feijoo’s party received the most votes in last month’s parliamentary elections, with which Felipe VI appointed Feijoo’s party to form a new coalition government in the country.
The government negotiations are expected to be challenging, as the Partido Popular narrowly won the sitting prime minister Pedro Sánchez of the Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). Thus, the number of seats of both parties in the parliament is not enough for the necessary majority of more than 175 seats. Both Feijoo and Sánchez had previously informed King Felipe IV that they were available to become prime minister.
New elections on the table
If Feijoo fails in the government negotiations, the other parties have two months to form a majority government. Otherwise, new elections will have to be held in the country.
Feijoon’s Partido Popular won 137 seats in the parliament in the elections, and Vox, a potential government partner, won 33 seats. In addition, two seats would come from regional minor parties, which, however, is not enough for a majority.
Sánchez said he accepted Feijoo to form a new government, but predicted that he would fail to form a majority government. Indeed, Sánchez would like to return as prime minister to a government that would then consist of the center-left.
Source: AFP