The Spanish government has finally been granted a new term after four months of political deadlock. On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez managed to secure a majority vote in Parliament, which was required to form a leftist-led government. This is the first time since Spain’s transition back to democracy in the 1970s that a single-party government will rule, paving the way for a new era of stability and progress.
The journey to get here hasn’t been easy. Following the April 2019 elections, the Socialist Party (PSOE) was awarded the most number of seats but fell short of winning an absolute majority. With the second-placed Popular Party (PP) refusing to cooperate, Mr Sánchez was unable to form a government without the support of other smaller parties.
Finally, after months of negotiations and five failed attempts, Sánchez was able to secure an agreement with far-left party Unidas Podemos along with other smaller regional parties such as Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), the Canary Coalition (CC) and regional Catalan separatist parties (ERC and JxCat). With the support of these parties, he was able to garner the necessary majority for a new mandate.
The first task of the newly formed government will be to tackle the economic and social challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Sánchez has outlined an ambitious recovery plan, which includes infrastructure investments and spending on green energy and public services. The plan also seeks to tackle issues related to gender equality, immigration and social justice.
After four months of political stalemate, Spain is now heading for a new era of stability and progress. With a majority government in place, the country can look forward to sustained development and improved living standards in the years ahead.