PEDRO SÁNCHEZ HASN’T WON THE BATTLE YET AS CATALAN SEPARATISTS MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT

PEDRO SÁNCHEZ may have reached a preliminary agreement with the anti-austerity Unidas Podemos, but securing support from Catalan separatist lawmakers will prove tricky.

While the PSOE finished as the most voted party following the recent general elections, the socialist party did not win enough seats to rule alone.

Spain’s caretaker prime minister is now trying to convince a Catalan separatist party to help him at the investiture vote, which could be held in the coming weeks.

After announcing a surprise deal with the anti-austerity Unidas Podemos for a coalition government just 48 hours after Spaniards went to the polls, Sánchez is now needs to convince a Catalan separatist party to help him at the investiture vote, a race against time as the vote could be held in the coming weeks.

Sánchez’s proposition is to try to get the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) to abstain at this parliamentary vote to endorse the new administration, stressing that if they don’t help create a centre-left government with their abstention at the investiture vote, there could be a third general election in Spain in the space of a year, one that might deliver even bigger gains to the far right.

So far, ERC leaders have said they plan to vote no, but have added that they remain open to further talks.