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Madrid /Â AFP
Spain’s ruling conservatives made a fresh push on Monday to form a government and unblock months of political paralysis after emerging stronger from another inconclusive general election.
The Popular Party (PP) was the big winner of Sunday’s elections, the second in six months, which played out against a background of turbulence from Britain’s shock vote to leave the European Union that analysts said may have influenced the polls.
The fractured results were much the same as after December polls, with the PP coming first, followed by the Socialists, a far-left coalition led by Podemos and market-friendly upstart Ciudadanos.
But unlike the other three parties which lost seats, votes or both, the PP emerged strengthened from the election, beating expectations with 137 seats in the 350-strong lower house of parliament—14 seats more than it won in the December vote.
However, the PP, led by incumbent prime minister Mariano Rajoy, is still far from an absolute majority and needs support from other parties to form a coalition government—a feat that no one achieved after December polls.
But the extra seats give Rajoy more clout in coalition negotiations, coupled with the fact that parties are under pressure to reach a deal this time round to avoid a third round of elections.
The European Commission said on Monday it hoped “that a stable government can now be formed so Spain can continue working with the European institutions and its European partners.”
And Spain’s CEOE business association also urged the formation of a government “to press ahead with policies that will consolidate Spain’s economic recovery and give an unambiguous sign of confidence and credibility to our European partners.”
An emboldened Rajoy held his hand out to parties Monday and particularly the Socialists, telling Spanish radio he would speak to the PSOE first, “which remains our country’s second political force.”
Rajoy or no Rajoy?
Looking ahead, the PP could team up with market friendly Ciudadanos, but their combined total number of seats would still not be enough to form a majority centre-right government and win the necessary vote of confidence.
So they will need to court smaller regional parties and the Socialists (PSOE), which came second in Sunday’s elections with 85 seats, its worst score in modern history.
The PSOE could decide to abstain in the parliamentary vote to let a government through and avoid taking the country to yet more elections.
But angry over a string of corruption scandals that have hit the PP and severe austerity measures under Rajoy’s watch, it may not want to back a government with him at the helm.
In fact, rival parties before the election had insisted on the fact that they wanted Rajoy to go, whatever the outcome.
Asked whether the Socialists would consider abstaining, Socialist party number two Cesar Luena said this would be an issue they would discuss when the time came.
“But the PSOE wants to replace Rajoy,” he said.
Now though, the PP’s better-than-expected results and Rajoy’s strengthened position may make this more difficult.