Socialists rule out backing ‘right-wing’ unionist government after vote

The Socialist party says it will support neither pro-independence candidacies nor right-wing unionist parties following the December 21 election in Catalonia, thus presenting itself as the standard-bearer of an unlikely third way option at a moment of unprecedented political polarization.

Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the Spanish Socialists (PSOE), said that “the bloc dynamic should be left behind” after the election — especially if neither pro-independence or unionist parties get an absolute majority. In an interview with Spain’s public broadcaster, he presented the Catalan Socialist (PSC) leader, Miquel Iceta, as the candidate that could overcome the current political “blockage”.

According to recent polls, PSC could surpass Ciutadans and become the largest unionist party in the Parliament. Still, forming a ruling coalition might prove hard. Apart from the Socialists, there are only two clear-cut unionist parties in Catalonia: Ciutadans and the Catalan branch of Spain’s ruling People’s Party. Sánchez ruled out backing either of them to form a government.