Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Stephen Burgen in Barcelona

Spain’s conservative party leader proposed as PM despite no majority

The leader of Partido Popular (People’s party), Alberto Núñez Feijóo
The leader of Partido Popular (People’s party), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, at a press conference after meeting the Spanish king on 22 August. Photograph: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

The leader of Spain’s conservative People’s party has been put forward to be prime minister, in a move that seems doomed to fail as he has not secured enough votes to command a majority.

In accordance with protocol, King Felipe VI proposed Alberto Feijóo for the investiture on Tuesday night on the grounds that his party won the most votes in last month’s general election, which produced a hung parliament.

The People’s party won 137 votes and with its allies in the far-right Vox party, plus two smaller parties, can muster a total of 172 votes, short of the 176 needed for a majority. As things stand, Feijóo has no other possible allies.

Pedro Sánchez, leader of the incumbent Socialist Workers’ party coalition government, told the king that his party and its allies could garner 178 votes.

Ever since the votes were counted on 23 July, Feijóo has seemed determined in his attempt to be invested as prime minister despite the fact that smaller parties that have supported the conservatives in the past have made it clear that they would not enter a coalition that includes Vox.

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy and it is the duty of the king to propose a candidate for prime minister to parliament.

In a communique on Tuesday night, the palace said that the king was putting Feijóo forward because the People’s party was the “political group that obtained the most seats on 23 July”, adding that it was “customary” in a democracy that the candidate with the most votes should be given the first opportunity.

In a statement, Feijóo said: “I am putting myself forward to represent the immense majority who wish to preserve democratic dignity for which so many have fought,” adding that he was only four votes short of a majority.

The vote is not expected until next week and, assuming Feijóo fails, Sánchez will have to persuade the conservative nationalists of Together for Catalonia to vote for him if he is to have a chance of continuing to govern. Failing that, the country will go to the polls in December for the sixth time in seven years.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.