Spaniards are bracing themselves for a Christmas election after caretaker
prime minister Mariano Rajoy failed to
win parliamentary backing to form a government.
The conservative leader lost votes on Wednesday and Friday last week –
the second time the parliament has rejected a leader’s bid to become prime
minister since a December general election delivered a fragmented
parliament.
In March, the leader of the Socialist Party (PSOE), Pedro Sanchez, also
failed to win a parliamentary majority. Spaniards voted in a repeat general
election in June after a two-month deadline to form a government
expired.
Rajoy’s defeat in Friday’s vote has triggered another two-month deadline
for a candidate to win a majority: if no-one can do so by 31 October, king
Felipe will dissolve the parliament for a third general election in just over a
year.
Opinion polls suggest a third vote would deliver a similarly fragmented
parliament. Turnout could be low since it would fall on 25 December, the day
after Spaniards have Christmas dinner, kicking off a festive period that
finishes with Epiphany on 6 January. EU
Observer.
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