Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy looks on as Podemos Party leader Pablo Iglesias walks past during the second of a two-day investiture debate at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. AP Photo/Francisco Seco.
Political uncertainty has hovered over Spain since last December inconclusive elections, which delivered a fragmented parliament without a workable majority. The governing Conservative People’s Party (PP) secured 123 seats in Congress out of a total of 350; Ciudadanos (Cs - Liberals), 40; the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), 90; Podemos and its regional allies in Catalonia, Valencia, and Galicia (radical left), 69; “others” (including Basque Conservative nationalists and Catalan pro-independence parties), 28 seats. With the main parties unable to reach an agreement – a pact between at least three of them was needed for a stable majority to be established –, the country is heading to the polls for the second time in six months.
During the negotiations period, several formulas were explored: a technocratic government led by independents; a Conservative coalition (PP + Cs) with the abstention of the Socialists, a PP + PSOE Grosse Koalition; a centre-left coalition (PSOE + Cs) with the abstention of the PP or Podemos (the only formula that was really discussed); or a leftist coalition (PSOE + Podemos) with the abstention of Cs or with the support of the Basque and Catalan nationalists.
