The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who came out on top in the ballot, immediately welcomed “this progress” which “recognizes the victory” of his party. “The proposal I am making is that of a government of the PP alone,” he added during a trip to Galicia, his native region.
This change of strategy comes in the midst of a political deadlock for the right-wing bloc. In the legislative elections of July 23, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) of Pedro Sánchez came second with 121 seats, behind the 137 of the PP.
Sánchez seen as a threat by the far right
But because of the game of alliances, Mr. Sánchez has more chances than his rival, who can a priori only count on Vox, to gather the necessary support to be invested head of government by the deputies.
Mr Sánchez’s fate, however, depends on a favorable vote by the Catalan separatists of Junts per Catalunya, whom Vox has considered “the enemies of Spain” since their secession attempt in 2017.
The leader of the far-right formation described Sunday as a “serious threat to the constitutional order” the possibility that Mr. Sánchez will be invested with the support of the Basque and Catalan separatists and that he “concedes” to the latter the referendum of self-determination that they demand in exchange for their vote.
“No matter the cost” to “achieve power”
In a press release, Santiago Abascal adds that his 33 deputies “will support a constitutional majority” in Parliament “allowing the formation of a government to avoid this threat”, thus implying that they will support the PP.
Mr. Feijoo would however need a few additional votes to be invested and govern alone. Several small parties had ruled out supporting a coalition in which Vox would participate and it seems unlikely that a sufficient number will change their minds even after the far right has given up its government claims.
And, except huge surprise, a reversal of jacket of Socialist deputies is to be excluded. A PSOE official, Patxi Lopez, reacted on Sunday by saying that Mr. Feijoo and the PP were ready to do anything “no matter the cost” to “access power”, recalling the existence of pacts between the PP and Vox in several regions.