Spanish Parliament says ‘no’ to Pedro Sánchez’s investiture

Barcelona (CNA).- The candidate to form a new government in Spain, Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sánchez has failed to be invested in the first round of the Spanish Investiture debate. He only obtained the support of 130 MPs in the 350-seat Spanish Parliament. The 90 MPs from Sánchez’s own party, Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and the 40 from Unionist Ciutadans voted in favour, the MP from Canary Coalition (CC) abstained from voting and all the other parties, including the current governing party, conservative People’s Party, alternative left Podemos and Catalan pro-independence parties ERC and ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ voted against his investiture. The next round in voting will take place on Friday. During the investiture debate, Sánchez invited PP and Podemos to join his alliance with Ciutadans and assured that he will “never” accept a referendum in Catalonia as it would be “the worst way” to break Spain apart. For his part, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont stated that Sánchez’s failure confirms that there is no alternative for Catalonia other than to push for independence.

Neither PP nor Podemos joined PSOE-Ciutadans' alliance

During the second day of the Spanish investiture debate, which ended without Sánchez being invested, PSOE’s leader defended the agreement reached with Unionist Ciutadans and addressed both sides, the conservative People’s Party (PP) and alternative left Podemos, to join the alliance and form a new government as soon as possible. However, both parties emphasised their opposition to the agreement and insisted on their ‘no’ to Sánchez investiture.

Addressing Podemos’ leader, Pablo Iglesias, Sánchez emphasised that a “left-wing agreement” is not possible, as it won’t get enough votes for him to be invested. Following this, the PSOE leader also warned that he “won’t allow that Spain’s governability would rely on pro-independence parties”, in reference to ERC and ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’, whose votes may be key if Sánchez is to be invested.

Regarding Podemos’ proposal to hold a referendum in Catalonia as a condition sine qua non for supporting Sánchez’s investiture, PSOE’s leader stated that he will “never” accept an auto-determination referendum, neither in Catalonia nor in any other place. According to Sánchez this would be “the worst way to break apart Spain and the national sovereignty” and he assured that he “doesn’t lose the hope” that Catalonia will continue to remain within Spain “with another relational framework”.

 

ERC: “Catalonia has already started the disconnection process”

ERC’s number two, Joan Tardà, warned that “Catalonia has already started the disconnection process” from Spain and accused Sánchez of “criminalising” the results of the 27-S Catalan elections. “Spain can’t retain the Catalans citizens without their will” he stated and said he considered “stupid” the refusal to negotiate Catalonia’s independence.

“We won’t ask for the referendum anymore” stated Tardà and assured that they won’t accept a reform of the Constitution either. “Our goal is not reforming Spain” he stated and assured that they “tried” but then “gave up”. 

Tardà also stated that Catalonia was “annexed” to Spain following “conquest” criteria and now the Spanish parties have to choose between two possible options: “the democratic way or the way of the authoritarian states”.

DiL: Holding a referendum in Catalonia will be “the real change”

‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ (‘Democracy and Freedom’), the coalition created from liberal party CDC to run for the 20-D Spanish elections, called on Sánchez to hold a referendum in Catalonia “if he really is for change”. In this vein, ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ leader and former Catalan Government spokesperson Frances Homs assured that they are “willing to dialogue” and to “contribute to the change”.

In response, Sánchez called Homs to “forget any unilateral way of disconnection or independence” as “this is not the way”. According to Sánchez, continuing to push for independence “will only lead to fracture, frustration and the failure of those who defend this option”. Sánchez also commented that ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ is using the referendum “to block” the Spanish investiture, as they considered this stage to be overtaken.

PSOE’s leader assured that he will bid for “dialogue” and building “bridges” with Catalonia but not “by breaking the law, the Spanish Constitution nor the Catalan Statute of Autonomy”.

Puigdemont: Sánchez’s failure confirms “the way chosen” after the 27-S elections

Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, commented on the Spanish investiture debate. According to him, Sánchez’s failure, as he won’t get enough votes to be invested in the first round, proves that there is no alternative for Catalonia other than to push for independence. Thus, it confirms “the way chosen by the people” in the 27-S Catalan elections.

Puigdemont also lamented that so much effort was put into a debate which will not lead to a new government and which will continue “the big political instability” in Spain. This, besides having consequences for both the people and the economy, has also consequences for Catalonia’s situation. Puigdemont lamented the lack of an interlocutor in Spain to dialogue with. “We urgently need for Spain to get its act together so that there could be an interlocutor in Spain”, stated Puigdemont. “While Catalonia has a government which continues to move on, there is no one on the other side to whom we can address questions, because when they are a bit too complex, their answer is that they are only acting in a provisional capacity".