Spain's Rajoy welcomes Socialist's decision to abstain in confidence vote

Record ID: 83904

  • Title: Spain's Rajoy welcomes Socialist's decision to abstain in confidence vote
  • Date: 24th October 2016
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARIANO RAJOY ARRIVING AT WESTIN PALACE HOTEL VARIOUS OF RAJOY ENTERING MEETING ROOM AND WALKING TOWARDS THE PODIUM VARIOUS OF RAJOY AT PODIUM WITH XAVIER GARCIA ALBIOL, PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE'S PARTY IN THE CATALAN PARLIAMENT RAJOY RAJOY WITH ALBIOL RAJOY SCRATCHING HIS BEARD AND LOOKING PENSIVE AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER MARIANO RAJOY SAYING: "Have no doubt we have a great future ahead. Yesterday an important decision was made. I won't get into the details, I don't think it's appropriate to do so today. I will do so in parliament. I want to say that yesterday's decision was in my opinion very reasonable. I also want to say I put myself in the position of the others. I have read the resolution approved by the Socialist Party yesterday and there are good things we can talk about in the future and, if there is political will, Spain can have a great future." RAJOY GOING BACK TO HIS SEAT AS AUDIENCE APPLAUDS PEOPLE WALKING PAST NEWSPAPER STAND VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPERS LA RAZON WITH HEADLINE READING (Spanish) "Abstention" LA RAZON NEXT TO EL MUNDO DAILY WITH ITS HEADLINE READING (Spanish) "A fractured Socialist Party approves making Rajoy Prime Minister" ABC NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING (Spanish) "the Socialist Party accepts to abstain without clarifying its future or Spain's" PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS LOPEZ, RETIRED, SAYING: "It was the right thing to do but they should have done after the first election. Pedro Sanchez would have abstained after the first election allowing the most voted party to govern." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ALEJANDRO GUERRA, LAWYER, SAYING: "I think it's positive because, (the economy) is reactivated and gains confidence, but I also think things will be complicated for the People's Party because it will no longer have a parliamentary majority and it will be difficult to approve new policies and laws, especially the approval of the new budget will be very complex. We will stay tuned to the news." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ANGEL LUIS MUNOZ, SPANISH VOTER, SAYING: "It's difficult to understand why they (Socialists) have bombed a left-wing agreement with the possible support of Ciudadanos with its abstention. It seemed possible that Podemos and the Socialists could come to an agreement this second time around, but they have opted to hand the power over to the People's Party. It seems the Socialists want be the sole representatives on the left but I think it's counter-productive because many Socialist voters will go to Ciudadanos or Podemos." TRAFFIC AROUND STATUE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS PEOPLE CROSSING STREET
  • Embargoed: 8th November 2016 08:58
  • Keywords: Mariano Rajoy People's Party Spain Deadlock Socialist Party
  • Location: MADRID, SPAIN
  • City: MADRID, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00155D5XZB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Spain's conservative leader Mariano Rajoy on Monday (October 24) welcomed the decision by his Socialist rivals to abstain in a looming confidence vote, ending 10 months of political deadlock and securing a second term in power for his People's Party (PP).
    "Yesterday an important decision was made. I won't get into the details, I don't think it's appropriate to do so today. I will do so in parliament. I want to say that yesterday's decision was in my opinion very reasonable," Rajoy said in a speech at an event organised by the New Economic Forum on Monday morning.
    "I have read the resolution approved by the Socialist Party yesterday and there are good things we can talk about in the future and, if there is political will, Spain can have a great future."
    Spain has been stuck in political limbo following national elections in December and June which left no single party with a majority, paralysing institutions and threatening to derail an economic recovery.
    With a third ballot on the cards the centre-left Socialists, traditional opponents of the PP, ceded ground on Sunday (October 23) in an extraordinary, internal party meeting to choose between a third general election or allowing Rajoy to govern.
    Senior party members voted by 139 to 96 in favour of abstaining in a parliamentary confidence vote to be held this week.
    Spaniards welcomed the decision but acknowledged the path ahead would not be easy, neither for Rajoy or the Socialist Party.
    Rajoy's minority government will have to contend with a hostile, deeply fragmented parliament over the next four years, opening up a fresh source of political instability for Spain.
    "I think it's positive because, (the economy) is reactivated and gains confidence, but I also think things will be complicated for the People's Party because it will no longer have a parliamentary majority and it will be difficult to approve new policies and laws, especially the approval of the new budget will be very complex. We will stay tuned to the news," lawyer Alejandro Guerrero said.
    "It seems the Socialists want be the sole representatives on the left but I think it's counterproductive because many Socialist voters will go to Ciudadanos or Podemos," Angel Luis Munoz said.
    Rajoy's prime task will be to keep on track an economic rebound after years of recession, while cutting costs to meet stringent deficit targets.
    First on an expanding to-do list for the new government will be updating the emergency 2017 budget to better reflect the deficit targets set by Brussels. Rajoy needs to find at least 5 billion euros in extra revenues or spending cuts.
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