On Thursday, Sánchez was tasked by King Felipe VI with forming a government, a formality that recognizes him as official candidate for prime minister. But when the Socialist leader later addressed reporters at La Moncloa, the Spanish government headquarters, he didn’t add much to what has been obvious to any informed observer since the April 28 ballot. [...]
José Manuel García-Margallo, an MEP for the conservative Popular Party (PP) and a former foreign minister, said Sánchez had “a clear horizon ahead,” adding that the seat distribution in parliament gave him several options: setting up a minority government; wooing the liberal Ciudadanos for a coalition; or forming a multi-party alliance with the leftist Podemos, the Basque Nationalist Party and other minor regional parties. [...]
Sánchez invited the three main political parties beside his Socialists — the PP, Ciudadanos and Podemos — to a series of meetings next week, suggesting that he sees the support of these four parties as crucial to his reelection. That means he is likely seeking not just the support of Podemos, but also some form of cooperation with Ciudadanos or the PP, such as an agreement that one or both of the two parties would abstain in the investiture vote. [...]
As well as the general election in April, Spain held local, regional and European ballots in May and is awaiting the election of mayors of over 8,000 towns and cities and the presidents of 12 regions. Sánchez’s Socialists won the election by a wide margin, but which party rules in many regions and cities will depend on coalition negotiations.
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