[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Introducci\u00f3n y contexto” _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n
Pedro Sanchez, secretary-general of the center-left Spanish Socialist Worker Party (PSOE), took office as Prime Minister on June 1, 2018. He took this position following a censure motion against sitting Prime Minister<\/strong> Mariano Rajoy of the center-right Popular Party (PP). In the nine months that Sanchez has headed the government, legislative activity has been limited to completing a few bills that were already being processed and governing through Royal Decrees, a legislative tool which, according to Spanish law, should be reserved for urgent matters.<\/p>\n The 2019 budget was rejected in February<\/strong>, though approving the yearly budget is one of the Spanish government\u2019s most important duties. Its rejection meant the majority who voted for the censure motion could not offer a practical way to complete the legislature.<\/strong> PSOE and Unidos Podemos had signed a bill without the support of the two Catalan independence parties, PDeCAT and ERC.<\/p>\n Dec. 2, 2018, Vox emerged as an influential force in Andalusia\u2019s parliament, changing the electoral landscape in Spain.<\/strong> This party joined the extreme right in Europe, alongside France\u2019s National Rally party. In these elections, a high percentage of voters from the left abstained, opening the door for the three right-wing parties (PP, Ciudadanos and Vox) to put an end to 35 years of socialist governance in the region.<\/p>\n The possibility of seeing similar political shifts on a national level led to a massive mobilization of left-wing voters.<\/strong> For the PSOE, this particular debate was a convenient distraction from negotiations with Catalonia\u2019s independence parties, another topic that divided voters and could have led to abstention, similar to what occurred Dec. 2.<\/p>\n Due to the budget bill\u2019s failure Feb. 15, Pedro Sanchez announced elections would occur April 28.<\/strong> Two weeks later, March 1, he dissolved Parliament, including both the Congress and Senate.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Resultados electorales” _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n Last April 28, general elections were held in Spain. The results of elections produced<\/strong> the following breakdown of seats in Congress:<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Gr\u00e1fico 1 web” _builder_version=”3.1.1″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”on|on|” src=”https:\/\/ideasen.llorenteycuenca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Gr\u00e1fico-elecciones_Web-1.png”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image admin_label=”Gr\u00e1fico 1 web” _builder_version=”3.1.1″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”on|on|” src=”https:\/\/ideasen.llorenteycuenca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Gr\u00e1fico-elecciones_Web-1.png”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image admin_label=”Gr\u00e1fico 1 m\u00f3vil” _builder_version=”3.1.1″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”||on” src=”https:\/\/ideasen.llorenteycuenca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Gr\u00e1fico-elecciones_m\u00f3vil-1.png”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image admin_label=”Gr\u00e1fico 2 web” _builder_version=”3.1.1″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”on|on|off” src=”https:\/\/ideasen.llorenteycuenca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Porcentaj_web_Mesa-de-trabajo-1-copia-2.png”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image admin_label=”Gr\u00e1fico 2 movil” _builder_version=”3.1.1″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”off|off|on” src=”https:\/\/ideasen.llorenteycuenca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Porcentaj_movil_Mesa-de-trabajo-1-copia.png”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n In the Senate, the PSOE won an absolute majority.<\/strong> This chamber has less legislative power than Congress, but still has two key legislative responsibilities. The Senate approves the spending cap, a step toward approving the budget and reducing deficit, as required by the European Union, and is responsible for applying Constitutional article 155, which confers the ability to suspend a regional government, as occurred in Catalonia in 2017.<\/p>\n With these results (after close to 100 percent of votes have been counted), we can offer some conclusions:<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Escenarios de gobernabilidad” _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n If we consider each party\u2019s rhetoric to be unchangeable, the potential results for the country\u2019s governability would, hypothetically, be:<\/strong><\/p>\n In coming weeks, informal talks will begin between party leaders to form a majority before the Congress is constituted May 21.<\/strong> In this negotiation, it is not expected to be complicated for PSOE and Podemos to gain control of the bench or prevent a socialist from becoming president of the chamber. The results in the municipality of Barcelona will be especially relevant. If there is an agreement between left-wing forces, it could open up a new electoral avenue for the Catalan region. Instead of a pact between pro-independence parties, one between ERC, Comuns and PSC could ease relations with the Spanish government.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Retos del nuevo gobierno” _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″]<\/p>\n In the short term, there are three principle matters<\/strong> the new government must manage:<\/p>\n The 13th Legislature will be marked by uncertainty.<\/strong> The end of the positive economic cycle, gradual rise in interest rates in the Eurozone and less favorable international economic scenario will define the environment in which this divided Spanish government must operate. A Spanish government that lacks a solid parliamentary majority<\/strong> will have to work in coalition with some key partners (Unidos Podemos) that will want to impose their reform agenda.<\/p>\n In addition to the three short-term challenges mentioned above, there are nine key issues in the medium-term:<\/p>\n In addition to these issues, there are others always on the government\u2019s agenda since its transition to democracy. The government must be prepared to address issues such as the sustainability of the public health system, improvements in education, adapting to the demands of a digital society and the reform and modernization of the justice system.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Introducci\u00f3n y contexto” _builder_version=”3.1.1″] Introduction and context [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.1.1″] Pedro Sanchez, secretary-general of the center-left Spanish Socialist Worker Party (PSOE), took office as Prime Minister on June 1, 2018. He took this position following a censure motion against sitting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the center-right Popular […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":57250,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[86],"class_list":["post-57248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ideas"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nElection results<\/h1>\n
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Possible governance scenarios<\/h1>\n
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Challenges for the new government<\/h1>\n
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