- Title: "I don't like what is happening" - Spaniards say about another election
- Date: 18th September 2019
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE CROSSING ROAD IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING PARLIAMENT BUILDING LAWMAKER FOR PRO-CATALAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY ERC (REPUBLICAN LEFT), GABRIEL RUFIAN, ARRIVING AT PARLIAMENT PEOPLE WAITING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 60-YEAR-OLD HOUSEWIFE, MARIANA RUYO, SAYING: "I don't like what's happening. I don't like it because what is going to be spent in another elections should be for hospitals, for schools instead of wasting a lot of money for nothing. They're clearly only concerned about their seats and their salaries. And the elections we're going to have will be more of the same. Because none of them will get an absolute majority. They're going to have to team up. How? Which ever way - it's clear, the left with the left, the right with the right, but they have to come together and form a government. They need to do look out for Spain. Fewer flags and concern for the people." PEOPLE WALKING PAST PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 32-YEAR-OLD HUMAN RESOURCES WORKER, ANNIE, SAYING: "I think it's a complete waste of time. I think the current Spanish political classes aren't thinking about the people, they're thinking about what they want for themselves. And as a Spanish citizen I'm not sure I'm going to vote in the next elections." VARIOUS OF TENTS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT BUILDING / HOMELESS MAN, MANUEL CORREO, TALKING TO FRIEND AND MAKING COFFEE MANUEL STIRRING COFFEE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 33-YEAR-OLD HOMELESS MAN AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER, MICKEY, SAYING: "Well, if we're going to have new elections, it's completely certain that the country is going to be in limbo, and along with it the emergency measures like those that we need to make sure there's nobody left out on the streets. So it's a very, very precarious situation and we need them to approve this decree (to give everyone home) urgently." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 47-YEAR-OLD HOMELESS MAN, MANUEL, SAYING: "I hope so because we're rotting here and we need them to help us, do you get me? I hope they give us something, a home, something. Because I was abroad and I was helped there, and here in Spain they're not helping me. That's what I think." MANUEL TALKING TO FRIEND SPANISH FLAG WITH WORDS WRITTEN READING (Spanish): "URGENT / REAL DECREE / NOBODY WITHOUT A HOME" FLAG AND TENTS TENT IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING WITH WORDS WRITTEN READING (Spanish): "DECREE NOW!" / "NOBODY WITHOUT A HOME" PEOPLE WALKING PAST NEWSPAPER KIOSK NEWSPAPERS
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2019 09:41
- Keywords: Spain Politics Reaction Residents Pedro Sanchez
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX6PW07
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spaniards expressed frustration and dismay on Wednesday (September 18) to the acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's announcement that the country would go to the polls once again on November 10, the fourth general election in four years.
Sanchez announced the snap elections on Tuesday (September 17) evening, after he and leaders of Spain's political parties held talks with King Felipe VI who said there were no viable candidates to lead a new government after his consultations failed to break the political deadlock.
Sanchez's Socialist Party got the most votes in the April 28 general election, but failed to get a majority prompting a series of negotiations with the far-left Unidas Podemos party, the Socialist's preferred governing partner, which ultimately failed hours before the first investiture vote in July throwing the country into political deadlock.
The current political climate has also intensified the protests of a group of homeless people who have set up camp outside parliament in order to urge the approval of a new decree they submitted to the Prime Minister's office on September 9, which would guarantee help for homeless people in Spain.
On Tuesday, leaders of the main political parties on the right and Sanchez's potential partner, the far-left Unidas Podemos, blamed Sanchez for failing to galvanise support, putting the country on course for a repeat election.
However, Sanchez hit back with accusations that he had been blocked by other parties from forming a progressive government, a statement he repeated angrily in Wednesday's parliamentary session, saying Spain needed stability and moderation.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Jeevan Ravindran) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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