Spanish Socialist leader insists not to support a Rajoy government

Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sanchez repeated on Monday that his party would not support the attempts of Popular Party (PP) leader Mariano Rajoy to return to power Spain.

Sanchez was speaking on Spanish TV network, Tele 5, eight days after the Spanish general election left a hung parliament with the PP winning the election with 123 seats, but 63 less compared with four years ago and well short of the 176 needed for a majority.

He said the Socialists would not support a PP government either by voting in favor of Rajoy in next month's investiture debate or abstaining.

The PSOE won 90 seats in the election, followed by left wing Podemos with 69 and the center-right Citizens, who claimed 40 seats.

The past week has seen increased speculation that Sanchez would support Rajoy in a pact between Spain's two major parties, with perhaps Citizens also lending their support.

The PSOE leader ruled that out on Monday, saying "we will vote against the continuity of Rajoy or any other member of the PP as prime minister."

The Spanish electoral law states that if Rajoy is asked by King Felipe to form a government, he has two attempts, firstly by trying to win an overall majority in the investiture debate in the Spanish Congress and secondly by winning a simple majority in a second vote 48 hours later.

That would be virtually impossible if the PSOE and Podemos vote against him and Sanchez added that should Rajoy fail, "the PSOE will call together all social and political forces," and would "offer a progressive and reformist alternative government with the capacity for dialogue."

He was speaking at the same time Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias also ruled out supporting Rajoy after a 90 minute meeting with the still prime minister.

However, Iglesias has said one of his party's conditions for supporting any coalition government is that it allows a referendum on the issue of Catalan independence, something Sanchez also rejected.

"We will not govern at any price and we will not negotiate with the integrity of Spain," he said.

If no party is able to form a government within two months of the first investiture vote, new elections would have to be call, something Sanchez insisted was "the final option."
  Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
28/12/15