- Title: Spanish socialists locked in internal dispute over political direction
- Date: 1st October 2016
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 1, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER PEDRO SANCHEZ SUPPORTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE PARTY'S HEADQUARTERS CAR CARRYING SANCHEZ ARRIVING AT HEADQUARTERS / CAR DRIVES INTO GARAGE VARIOUS OF SANCHEZ SUPPORTERS PROTESTING AND CHEERING (Spanish): "YES TO PEDRO, NO TO SUSANA (DIAZ)" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SOCIALIST VOTER AND SUPPORTER OF PEDRO SANCHEZ, EMILIA GARCIA, SAYING: "The party has rules that were not respected. It is like a coup in the party. And that is what we are against. We also support Pedro's stand." SANCHEZ SUPPORTERS CHEERING (Spanish): "YES TO PEDRO, NO TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE COUP" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PEOPLE´S PARTY VOTER, JOSE GARCIA, SAYING: "It is a shame that Spain has transformed into this. In my opinion it is important for Spain to have a strong socialist party so their supporters can vote for them. We need people with common sense taking the decisions. It seems that today the situation is not like that. I hope this changes soon." LEADER OF CATALAN SOCIALISTS, MIQUEL ICETA, ARRIVING LEADER OF BASQUE SOCIALISTS, PATXI LOPEZ, ARRIVING CAMERAMEN PROTESTER HOLDING A PLACARD READING (Spanish): "FELIPE (GANZALEZ) INFORMER AND PARTICIPANT IN THE COUP" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OUTSIDE SOCIALISTS HEADQUARTERS
- Embargoed: 16th October 2016 11:30
- Keywords: Spain politics socialist Pedro Sanchez Susana Diaz
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015268VNR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The leader of Spain's Socialists, Pedro Sanchez, arrived at the party's headquarters in Madrid on Saturday (October 1) as the future of the party hangs in the balance.
At stake is the leadership of the country's main opposition party, after a period of dramatic turmoil in the past week.
On Wednesday (September 28), 17 rebels resigned from the party's 38-strong executive committee, and called for Sanchez, who oversaw the party's worst election result in June, to stand down.
Sanchez suggested on Friday (September 30) that he could resign if a party assembly voted against him on Saturday and decided to abstain in a future confidence vote, to let acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stay in power.
A stand-off between the Socialists, headed by Sanchez, and the conservative People's Party (PP), which won the most votes but fell short of a majority in two inconclusive elections, has frustrated repeated attempts to form a government.
With the clock counting down to a possible third national election in December, the Socialist rebels hope they can oust Sanchez and seek ways to break the deadlock.
Protesters outside the party's headquarters on Saturday said the rebels had in effect carried out a coup.
The Socialist rebels hope that by ousting Sanchez, who has presided over a slump in the party's support, they could seek ways to end the stalemate, including a potential abstention in a confidence vote on allowing Rajoy a second term.
Sanchez has said he would never agree to abstain and that he would vote on Saturday to open up a leadership race, which he would likely win with support from the grassroots.
However, the party's powerful Andalucian chief Susana Diaz is also well positioned to take the helm of the party. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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