Spanish politics

He has already gone into coalition with the far left Podemos party but he is also relying on the support of a Catalan party which supports independence to get enough votes in parliament. Catalan separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) reaffirmed it would abstain during the Spanish parliament’s vote to confirm Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez as prime minister, a senior official said, a move that would help to end a prolonged political deadlock. The party’s national executive met yesterday following a last-minute decision by Spain’s electoral board to block ERC’s jailed leader Oriol Junqueras from becoming a member of the European Parliament, calling the party’s support into question.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting ERC top official Pere Aragones said the party would continue working with the Socialists to try to solve the Catalan conflict through negotiations, confirming an earlier report by Spanish newspaper El Pais. The right wing parties in the Spanish parliament are bitterly opposed to any support which the Spanish government could get from Catalan independence parties.

Sanchez is taking a big gamble. I suspect that he will become Prime Minister next week but the Catalans will be asking a high price for their support. It could all end in tears for Sanchez and his Socialist Party.