Some Catalan lawmakers will abstain from a confidence vote, all but paving the way for a coalition government to be formed
A KEY CATALAN separatist party has said it would allow Spain’s Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez another term as prime minister, paving the way to end months of political deadlock in the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy.
The Socialists have struck an agreement to form a coalition government with far-left party Podemos in what would be the first such power-sharing deal since the country returned to democracy following the death of long-time dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.The two parties together still fall short of a majority with 155 seats in the assembly. Sanchez has already secured the support of several smaller regional parties and had been negotiating with the ERC since the November polls.
Catalonia has been rocked by sometimes violent protests after Spain’s Supreme Court in October sentenced nine Catalan leaders to lengthy jail terms over their role in staging a banned secession referendum in 2017 in the wealthy northeastern region and a subsequent declaration of independence. He would still lose a first confidence vote set for Sunday when an absolute majority of 176 votes is needed.
Until 2015 Spain had essentially a two-party system pitting the Socialists against the conservative Popular Party but the rise of new parties has led to a more fragmented parliament that has made it harder to form a government.
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