Madrid, Jul 24 (EFE).- Spanish Prime Minister and leader of the Socialist Party (PSOE), Pedro Sánchez, said on Monday that his party “will find a formula to govern” a day after general elections resulted in hung parliament.
Sánchez was received by smiling colleagues at PSOE’s executive meeting, despite coming second in Sunday’s elections in which the conservative People’s Party, led by Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, won the most seats but failed to secure a ruling majority.
PSOE gained some ground on Sunday’s ballot – up by two seats on the previous elections – but would need the backing of the pro-independence party Together for Catalonia (Junts per Catalunya) to govern, led by exiled politician and former regional leader Carles Puigdemont.
Sánchez did not discuss talks with Catalan separatists with his colleagues at Monday’s meeting, sources told Efe.
Spain “has said no to regression and setbacks,” the Socialist leader said of the election results, in a nod to the PP and far-right Vox party which lost 19 seats on Sunday.
He added that the PSOE was “a reference in Europe and in the world”.
According to sources at the PSOE headquarters in Madrid, “it remains to be seen” whether the PP will attempt to garner support to create a minority government.
The PP has secured 136 seats and Vox 33, meaning they are seven seats short of an absolute majority.
Sanchez’s Socialists have 122 seats and the leftist Sumar party, the junior partner in the current government, 31.
When the new parliament convenes next month, an absolute majority of 176 votes will be required to install a prime minister on the first ballot, though a simple majority will suffice on subsequent ballots.EFE
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