Pro-independence parties meet Socialist leader to tackle vote of no confidence

Although the date to debate a vote of confidence against the Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy and his cabinet draws near, some parties are still to decide their stances on whether they are in favour or not.

The leader of the Spanish Socialists party (PSOE), Pedro Sánchez, who proposed the vote, has already met with representatives from pro-independence parties Esquerra Republicana (ERC), and PDeCAT, as well as Podemos and the Basque group PNB. Among the topics discussed was, should the vote of no confidence succeed, PSOE will offer the other groups the opportunity to set an election date.

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The deputy spokeswoman for Puigdemont’s candidacy Junts per Catalunya (JxCat), Gemma Geis, has communicated to PSOE that the motion to oust Rajoy should have been made the day after the October 1 independence referendum. Junts per Catalunya is supported by PDeCAT party, the one with seats in the Spanish Congress.

In a press conference held on Tuesday afternoon, Geis said PSOE should have tried to get rid of Spain’s ruling People’s Party (PP) after the “beatings” by Spanish police at the polling stations.

The Esquerra spokesman in Madrid did not disclose the content of his meeting with the Socialists. Yet another Esquerra official showed readiness to vote Yes on Saturday, by saying that the initiative is an “opportunity to make PP’s governmen, which leads the corruption, the violence and the repression against Catalonia, to collapse”. 

The far-left CUP party, not running in Spanish elections - therefore with no MPs in the Spanish Congress - warned the other pro-independence parties that with the Socialists, the jailed leaders won't be freed. 

Responsibility

On the other hand, Elisenda Alamany of Catalonia in Comú-Podem (CatECP), called for “responsibility” from Esquerra Republicana and PDeCAT so that the vote of no confidence can move forward.

“Nobody would understand that we would let ourselves miss the opportunity to oust Rajoy from the Moncloa (Spanish cabinet),” she said. Addressing all Catalan parties, including the Catalan Socialists who are in favour of the motion, she highlighted the importance to get PP out of government, referring to them as “corrupt” and like a “mafia.”

Unidos Podemos, to which CatECP are aligned in the Spanish congress, announced on Monday an internal vote to decide its final position. Despite this, its leader, Pablo Iglesias, announced on Tuesday that he would put forward another vote of no confidence should this one fail.

A firm no

The spokesman of Ciutadanos in the Spanish congress, Juan Carles Girauta, has asserted that the group will vote against the motion. This, despite the offer being made on Tuesday morning by Pedro Sánchez with regard to setting a new election date should the vote of no confidence succeed.

Girauta went as far as criticizing Sánchez for wanting to make it into the Moncloa by joining “accompanied by groups that carried out a coup and want to break Spain.”

“The feeling it conveys is that he wants to be president at any price,” Girauta said.

Chances vote of no-confidence to succeed 

At least 176 out of 350 MPs in the Spanish Congress have to vote in favor of the motion for it to succeed. At first, 155 lawmakers said Yes, including the Socialists (84), the leftwing Unidos Podemos (67) and Valencian Podemos allies Compromís (4). Unidos Podemos include 12 Catalan MPs in the En Comú Podem candidacy, non-aligned with the Catalan independence debate.

If the motion is voted by an absolute majority of lawmakers, Rajoy will be forced to step down from office after six and a half years in the post.

Why the motion has been put forward

Last Thursday, Spain’s National Court sentenced a former People’s Party (PP) treasurer to more than 30 years in jail for the so-called ‘Gürtel’ case —a corruption plot involving illegal party financing. Party leaders, including current president Mariano Rajoy, were allegedly regularly paid with black money.

PP was fined 250,000 euros for benefiting from the fraud, although one of its heads, María Dolores de Cospedal, denied it again on Tuesday. Meanwhile, former Spanish health minister Ana Mato will have to pay back 28,000 euros for using money from the ‘Gürtel case’ for personal trips and events for her family. After this, the Socialists put forward the vote of no confidence.