Spain’s acting PM Sanchez says he will seek investiture vote

Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he intended to seek the support of the lower house to form a new government after an inconclusive election on July 23.

“I will ask for parliament’s confidence to form a progressive government,” Sanchez said in a address to the legislators of his Socialist Party.

He said his party, which won the second-highest number of votes in the general election held last month, will first seek to clinch the lower house speaker position on Thursday. Sanchez, who first took power in 2018, has ruled since early 2020 thanks to a minority coalition with a far-left party.

He did not say on Wednesday who his coalition partners would be, but has previously said he intends to ally with far-left alliance, Sumar. The conservative People’s Party won more seats than the Socialists, but did not secure an outright majority and faces an uphill battle as it so far lacks enough support to form a government, as does Sanchez. Smaller regionalist parties are key to determine who will be the next prime minister.

via Reuters