Formation of Spanish government following general election in November 2019

Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 2019-2020
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Summary:

Reports and analyses of the process of government formation in Spain, following an inconclusive general election on 10 November 2019 from which none of the competing political parties managed to acquire a parliamentary majority.

Further Information:

Spain's centre-left Socialists (PSOE) - the winners of the election and yet short of a majority - reached an unexpected coalition agreement with leftist Unidas Podemos (UP) on 12 November. This was seen as a game changer, considering the tense relations between the two parties and several failed attempts at reaching a deal previously. Yet, the combination only yielded 155 seats, compared to the 176 required for a parliamentary majority that was able to confirm any proposed cabinet. The coalition therefore required the endorsement from other parties, in particular the regionalist forces which had become stronger as a result of the election.

Spanish King Felipe VI tasked PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez on 12 December with forming a government. Mr Sánchez was confirmed as Prime Minister, together with his coalition government, at a second voting round in Parliament on 7 January 2020. This became the first coalition cabinet in Spain for 80 years. While this allowed Mr Sánchez to remain in power, it would require cooperation from ten separate political forces to pass legislation going forward. The cabinet was endorsed by Parliament with the abstention of both Esquerra Republicana De Catalunya (ERC), the Catalan separatist party, as well as Basque EH Bildu, a political party formerly associated with a Basque terrorist organization. Right-wing opposition - including far-right VOX party - accused Mr Sánchez of catering to separatist parties in order to secure the abstention. Some of the left also accused the Prime Minister of "(...) selling the constitution for a handful of votes".

The cabinet pledged to revese austerity measures imposed during the economic crisis, increase worker protections, and raise the minimum wage..As part of the agreement with the regionalist parties, a written promise was produced to open a political dialogue between the Spanish government and the Catalan leadership to ease the tense relations between both sides.

Related Links
News
Reuters, 12/11/2019: Spain's Socialists and Podemos reach unexpected deal to form a coalition https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1XM1NP
The Local (Spain), 12/12/2019: Spanish king tasks Pedro Sanchez with forming new government (but no date set yet) https://www.thelocal.es/20191212/spanish-king-asks-sanchez-to-form-new-government
Euronews, 14/12/2019: Government before Christmas? Spain's PM holds talks with Catalan independentists to unlock stalemate https://www.euronews.com/2019/12/14/government-before-christmas-spain-s-pm-holds-talks-with-catalan-independentists-to-unlock
EurActiv, 16/12/2019: Crucial week in Madrid to form ‘progressive’ government https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/crucial-week-in-madrid-to-form-progressive-government/
El Pais, 17/12/2019: Spain’s caretaker PM reaches out to more nationalist parties for support https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/12/16/inenglish/1576507571_183137.html
Politico, 30/12/2019: Pedro Sánchez presents program for ruling Spain in coalition with far left https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-to-present-program-for-ruling-spain-in-coalition-with-far-left/
Politico, 02/01/2020: Sánchez clears last hurdle to rule Spain with far left https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-clears-last-hurdle-to-rule-spain-with-far-left/
Politico, 05/01/2020: Spain’s Sánchez loses first vote to be confirmed PM https://www.politico.eu/article/spains-sanchez-loses-first-vote-to-be-confirmed-pm/
Reuters, 06/01/2020, Spain gets coalition government as Sanchez wins parliamentary vote https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z528M
BBC News, 07/01/2020, Spain's Sánchez narrowly wins vote to govern in coalition https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51019358
The Guardian, 07/01/2020, Socialists and Podemos to rule together in Spanish coalition https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/07/pedro-sanchez-spain-pm-government-vote-parliament
Bloomberg, 07/01/2020: Sanchez Wins Backing for His Anti-Austerity Coalition in Spain https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-07/sanchez-seeks-to-break-spain-s-deadlock-by-slimmest-of-margins
Politico, 07/01/2020: Spanish parliament confirms Sánchez as PM https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-spain-prime-minister-parliament-vote/
EUObserver, 07/01/2020: Spain poised for first coalition government since Franco https://euobserver.com/political/147040
The Guardian, 07/01/2020: Socialists and Podemos to rule together in Spanish coalition https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/07/pedro-sanchez-spain-pm-government-vote-parliament
Reuters, 08/01/2020, Spain's leftist coalition faces battle to row back landmark labour law https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z72OW
El País, 09/01/2020: In Spain, opposition vows to fight new executive every step of the way https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2020/01/09/inenglish/1578558180_316444.html
France24, 10/01/2020: Women experts, leftists to dominate new Spain govt https://www.france24.com/en/20200110-women-experts-leftists-to-dominate-new-spain-govt
Reuters, 10/01/2020: Spain's Socialists carve out coalition cabinet focused on economy https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z91JS
The Guardian, 12/01/2020: Spain's PM calls for calm after building his coalition government https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/12/threats-and-insults-fly-as-spain-prepares-for-coalition-government
Deutsche Welle, 12/01/2020: Spain's Sanchez unveils Cabinet, pledges 'unity' https://p.dw.com/p/3W5f0

Commentary and Analysis
El Pais, 13/11/2019: Spain: How an “impossible” governing coalition was clinched in an hour https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/11/13/inenglish/1573633364_820573.html
The Guardian, 18/11/2019: Spain’s new coalition must face up to the Catalan crisis and the rise of the far right https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/18/spain-coalition-catalan-far-right-vox
The Conversation, 19/11/2019: How Spain’s new left-wing coalition fits into Europe’s shifting political allegiances http://theconversation.com/how-spains-new-left-wing-coalition-fits-into-europes-shifting-political-allegiances-127144
Euro|topics, December 2019: Will Spain get a left-wing coalition? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/231727/
France24, 07/01/2020, Pedro Sanchez, tenacious survivor of Spanish politics https://www.france24.com/en/20200107-pedro-sanchez-tenacious-survivor-of-spanish-politics
ECFR: Commentary, 07/01/2020: Spain’s new culture war https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_spains_new_culture_war
Politico, 07/01/2020: Pedro Sánchez’s governing manifesto explained https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-government-vote-pedro-sanchezs-governing-manifesto-explained/
El País, 07/01/2020: Spain gets a new PM, but what can he push through parliament? https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2020/01/07/inenglish/1578410052_201884.html
Forbes, 08/01/2020: Spain’s Sánchez Confirmed As PM Of Leftist Coalition: What Are Their Priorities For The Economy? https://www.forbes.com/sites/anagarciavaldivia/2020/01/08/spain-sanchez-pm-leftist-coaliton-priorities/
New Statesman, 09/01/2020: Spain’s new government could play an outsized European role https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/01/spain-s-new-government-could-play-outsized-european-role
Reuters: Factbox, 09/01/2020: Far-left ministers to enter Spain's new coalition government https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z8155
The Economist, 09/01/2020: Sánchez agonistes. At last, a new government for Spain https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/01/09/at-last-a-new-government-for-spain
Politico, 13/01/2020: The new faces in Spain’s coalition government https://www.politico.eu/article/the-new-faces-in-spain-pedro-sanchez-coalition-government/
Elcano Royal Institute: Analysis, 20/01/2020: Quo vadis, Spain http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/ari5-2020-chislett-quo-vadis-spain
EurActiv, 23/01/2020: OECD chief: ‘Sánchez government is a response to Spain’s political reality’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/interview/oecd-chief-sanchez-government-is-a-response-to-spains-political-reality/
Deutsche Welle, 03/02/2020: Will Spain's new governing coalition succeed in triggering economic change? https://p.dw.com/p/3X5iL

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