Spanish elections likely to be held on the 20th of December

Madrid (CNA).- The Spanish elections will be held in December, most probably on the 20^th of that month, the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, announced this Thursday. The 13^th of December is another possible date but, in any case, the elections will be called once the general budget for 2016 has been approved as it “creates certainty and stability” for citizens, he added. The leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP) admitted that his party may not have an absolute majority in the upcoming elections. He also highlighted that since 1977 the party which has ruled the Spanish government has always been that which topped the polls. In this regard, he warned that if the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and Spanish alternative left party Podemos come to an agreement to kick out the PP from government “it wouldn’t be the best way to respect the Spanish citizens’ will”. 

“Once the general budget is approved, I’ll call elections” Rajoy said. Although it is still not clear when exactly the elections will be held, the Spanish Prime Minister announced in an interview with Cadena Cope Radio that the most suitable date is the 20th of December. Another possibility, but less likely, is the 13th of December, but in any case, he assured, the elections will be held “in December”, once the general budget is approved, as it gives a feeling of “certainty and stability” to citizens.

Rajoy also admitted, for the first time, that the PP that he leads may not have an absolute majority in the upcoming elections. “In the event that no other party obtains an absolute majority it would be time to search for alliances” to obtain this majority, he said and added that “it won’t be easy for any of us”.

The PP leader also highlighted the fact that since 1977 the party which has ruled the Spanish Government has been the one that topped the polls, the most voted party. Following on from this, he warned that an alliance between PSOE and Podemos “wouldn’t be the best way to respect citizens’ will” (assuming that the PP is the most voted party in the upcoming elections).

According to Rajoy, the polls describe a positive trend in citizens’ perception of the PP. Society “appreciates the work that we have been doing” despite the “hard times” in which the PP have had to rule. 

 

Influenced by 27-S result in Catalonia

The Spanish elections will be held after the 27-S Catalan election, which is to be a ‘de facto’ plebiscite on independence. The result of the Catalan elections will definitely influence the Spanish elections and the approach of the different parties and their proposals. In this sense, Catalan President Artur Mas said that he doesn’t exclude the possibility of running in the Spanish Elections with the pro-independence unitary list ‘Junts Pel Sí’. Mas assured that, if this coalition wins the 27-S Catalan elections, gathering all the representatives together again to fight for a common purpose “would be regarded as a second plebiscite”. He stated that this would be a very “powerful message internationally”. He also specified that this possibility should be taken into account in the event of a victory in the 27^th of September elections and would need to be discussed with the other partners. Left wing pro-independence ERC and the civil society representatives that are also on the ‘Junts Pel Sí’ list have so far not commented on this matter.