Nothing to do in Spain for the socialist-led government. For the first time since the end of Franco's dictatorship, the Congress of Madrid rejected for the second and last time the candidate for prime minister, the socialist Pedro Sanchez, whose proposal to form a government made up of the PSOE and the centrists of Ciudadanos received 131 votes in favor but 219 against. The Populars of Rajoy and Podemos voted against Sanchez.
The maximalist left of Podemos, after making untenable demands on Sanchez, was in the front line in sinking the PSOE attempt, even refusing to grant an abstention vote that would have made possible the birth of a minority government.
Now the word returns to King Felipe VI but there are not many alternatives and the risk of new elections becomes more concrete every day.
On paper, there are two alternatives to the elections: either a grand coalition government between the PP and the Psoe or a left-wing government between the Psoe. Podemos and Izquierda Unida with the abstention of Basque and Catalan nationalists and secessionists. The first hypothesis has numbers in Parliament but it is politically very difficult due to the hatred that divides socialists and popular. The second would have a fragile majority and would have to deal with the Catalan secessionists who are calling for a referendum to try to free themselves from Madrid but which the socialists do not want to concede.
There is little time left to find an agreement and it expires on May 2nd: without an agreement, the polls will return on June 26th.
