After the alternative of Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP), failed, King Felipe VI. the order to Sánchez, but after almost three weeks there is no date for the debates in the House of Representatives.
Despite the exuberant optimism of Sánchez and his closest aides, the truth is that the thorny issue of an agreement with the Catalan independence movement, particularly with Junts, is hampering progress.
This Wednesday, the acting Minister of Finance and Deputy Secretary General of the Socialist Workers’ Party of Spain (PSOE), María Jesús Montero, acknowledged the reality, but adopted the same optimistic tone as the Left in general.
Montero admitted that there was still no agreement with the Catalan independence parties (Esquerra Republicana and Junts) on an amnesty for those accused of the so-called “Procés” of 2017.
However, he explained that he sees the inauguration of Sánchez, general secretary of the PSOE and acting head of the executive branch, as much closer than a repeat of the elections, the final date of which would be January 14th.
The minister noted that negotiations with ERC and Junts continue to progress as each party has a list of maximum values.
“This means that everything becomes coherent when all the pieces of the puzzle are put together and that they cannot be transferred individually because none of them are certain until the whole is well fixed. And therefore discretion,” explained Montero.
To stay in the Moncloa Palace, Sánchez needs an absolute majority (176 seats) or, in the second vote, a simple majority (yes and no), difficult numbers given the existing polarization.
Some local analysts expect discussions on the presidential inauguration in the House could take place in the second or third week of November. The deadline for entries is the 27th of the same month.
mem/ft