The leader of Spain’s conservative People’s party has been put forward to be prime minister, in a move that seems doomed to fail as he has not secured enough votes to command a majority.
In accordance with protocol, King Felipe VI proposed Alberto Feijóo for the investiture on Tuesday night on the grounds that his party won the most votes in last month’s general election, which produced a hung parliament.
The People’s party won 137 votes and with its allies in the far-right Vox party, plus two smaller parties, can muster a total of 172 votes, short of the 176 needed for a majority. As things stand, Feijóo has no other possible allies.
Pedro Sánchez, leader of the incumbent Socialist Workers’ party coalition government, told the king that his party and its allies could garner 178 votes.
Ever since the votes were counted on 23 July, Feijóo has seemed determined in his attempt to be invested as prime minister despite the fact that smaller parties that have supported the conservatives in the past have made it clear that they would not enter a coalition that includes Vox.
Spain is a parliamentary monarchy and it is the duty of the king to propose a candidate for prime minister to parliament.
In a communique on Tuesday night, the palace said that the king was putting Feijóo forward because the People’s party was the “political group that obtained the most seats on 23 July”, adding that it was “customary” in a democracy that the candidate with the most votes should be given the first opportunity.
In a statement, Feijóo said: “I am putting myself forward to represent the immense majority who wish to preserve democratic dignity for which so many have fought,” adding that he was only four votes short of a majority.
The vote is not expected until next week and, assuming Feijóo fails, Sánchez will have to persuade the conservative nationalists of Together for Catalonia to vote for him if he is to have a chance of continuing to govern. Failing that, the country will go to the polls in December for the sixth time in seven years.
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