Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is going into the second and decisive parliamentary vote today on his re-election without much chance. Until last night, Sanchez’s Socialists had not reached an agreement to form a coalition in negotiations with the left-wing Unidas Podemos (UP) coalition.
An agreement in the hours before the vote, which should take place in the afternoon, is very improbable in the opinion of experts. The first vote, which required an absolute majority of at least 176 votes, had clearly been lost by Sanchez.
According to the constitution, exactly 48 hours later, a second vote will be held, in which a simple majority will suffice – ie more yes-no votes. But even this will not reach Sanchez, unless it comes to an agreement with UP before.
If the acting head of government fails again today, a countdown begins: If the fourth-largest economy of the euro-zone has no new government within two months after the first parliamentary vote, King Felipe VI. On September 24, start a new early parliamentary election. The Social Democratic-oriented Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) had won the parliamentary re-election on 28 April, but the absolute majority missed significantly
