spanish politics

The agreement on the minimum wage and the relative success of the trip to Catalonia encourages the new government

Spanish Politics 13th February 2020

The Minimum Wage And The Trip Of Sánchez To Catalonia Encourages The New Government

Joan Tapia (Barcelona) | The PSOE-Podemos Coalition Government has not failed to confront its two main challenges: economic policy and Catalonia. However, now comes the most important issue: to approve the national budget for 2020 for which it needs a vote in favour of ERC. This time the abstention of ERC is not enough, as in the case of the investiture, which was achieved in exchange for the establishment of a dialogue between the governments of Madrid and Barcelona.

Opinion 7th January 2020

Unidas Podemos: Nepotism, Communism And “Good Governance”

Before it has a president -Pedro Sánchez- Spain has known the names of half of its future cabinet members, the ones appointed by Pablo Iglesias, leader of Unidas Podemos and future vice-president of the PSOE-UP Coalition Government, who, to stress his independence and loyalty to PSOE and President Sánchez, has announced the names of the four ministers (cabinet members) that he, and not Sánchez, has chosen. A good start.

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 6th January 2020

Pedro Sánchez Falls Short of Majority, But Will Likely Prevail Tuesday

Atlantic Sentinel | Left-wing separatists would allow the social democrat to become prime minister a second time. Spanish Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez fell short of a absolute majority in Congress on Sunday to become prime minister a second time. However, left-wing separatists from the Basque Country and Catalonia have agreed to abstain from a second vote on Tuesday, which should allow Sánchez to scrape by with a majority of one.

Spanish economy 18th November 2019

A poker game to make a government

Fernando G. Urbaneja | Spanish politics has become a poker game that has to conclude with the withdrawal of some players to abstention (nationalists) and the sum of favorable cards from others (the left) against the rights. Some variations fit, but they are very unlikely. And another failure that would lead to new elections in 2020 would be possible. But that seems like a catastrophic outcome for all.

Spanish economy 11th November 2019

Spain without a government

Fernando G. Urbaneja | If governance in Spain was difficult before and leaders apparently lacked the ability of forming stable alliances, now the picture is even more complicated. All leaders except far right party VOX and nationalists have failed, although no one admits it nor takes responsibility.

Spanish economy 12th September 2019

Better red than dead

J.P. Marín Arrese | This motto struck by Bertrand Russell galvanised those opposed to the nuclear weapons race. In his view, surrendering to communism stood as a less harmful choice than the dire prospect of massive immolation in a new world war. Fortunately, we skipped confronting the bad and worst alternatives Mr Russell thought would inevitably emerge.

Spanish economy 9th September 2019

Spanish politics: Fatigue and perplexity weigh in

Ana Fuentes | Spanish politics has settled on a disturbing calendar. This week the government of the social democrat Pedro Sánchez must clarify whether he will reach an agreement with Unidas Podemos or if he will call elections on November 10. It would be the fourth general election in five years. Time plays against and the feeling of uncertainty weighs more and more each day.

Spain's left’s inability to unite against the right

Opinion, Spanish Politics 26th July 2019

Spain: Political instability at home continues, undermining influence abroad

Shaun Riordan | Pedro Sánchez has failed to secure election as Spain´s Prime Minister in the second investiture vote in the Spanish parliament today. He needed only a simple majority. But the break down in negotiations with Podemos, and their decision to abstain, left Sanchez´ socialist party (PSOE) in a minority. The problems between the two parties seem to have centred not on policy but on the distribution of ministerial portfolios in a coalition government. Sanchez conceded that Podemos could hold ministerial positions, but the far left party complained that the portfolios he offered lacked real substance.

Far-right populists break through in the Spanish politics too

Spanish Politics 4th December 2018

Far-Right Populists Break Through In Spanish Politics Too

The elections in Andalucia have revolutionised Spanish politics with the the worst ever results for the socialist party (PSOE), which has been governing this autonomous community without interruption since 1978, and the entrance of the far right, in the form of the new party Vox, in the Spanish political map.

Fixation with electoral numbers is one of the mostunhealthy obsessions of contemporary Spanish politics

Spanish Politics 7th June 2018

Spain’s Ballot Box Fixation

Guy Hedgecoe | Fixation with electoral numbers is one of the most unhealthy obsessions of contemporary Spanish politics. It’s a mindset that places enormous emphasis on victory at the ballot box, in the belief that it will bring with it not just political power, but moral righteousness.

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