- Title: Spain's Socialists seen clearing way for end to political deadlock
- Date: 23rd October 2016
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 23, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF SOCIALIST PARTY HEADQUARTERS AND MEDIA GATHERED OUTSIDE VARIOUS OF CHAIRMAN OF SOCIALIST PARTY INTERIM MANAGEMENT, JAVIER FERNANDEZ, ARRIVING AT PARTY'S HEADQUARTERS / DRIVING CAR INTO GARAGE CAR CARRYING THE PRESIDENT OF THE REGION OF ANDALUSIA AND GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY ANDALUSIAN BRANCH, SUSANA DIAZ, ARRIVING AT HEADQUARTERS SPANISH POLICE OUTSIDE SOCIALIST PARTY HEADQUARTERS SOCIALIST PARTY SUPPORTER OUTSIDE PARTY HEADQUARTERS SHOUTING (Spanish) "OUR VOTES, OUR VOTES! I WANT MY VOTE BACK!" SIGNS OUTSIDE HEADQUARTERS READING (Spanish) "PSOE, WITHOUT LANDLORDS", "A DISHONOURABLE END?" SOCIALIST PARTY SUPPORTER SHOWING PARTY CARD, SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS OF PARTY SUPPORTERS HOLDING PROTEST SIGNS OUTSIDE HEADQUARTERS SPANISH POLICE VARIOUS OF JAVIER FERNANDEZ ARRIVING AT SOCIALIST PARTY MEETING MEETING IN PROGRESS PARTY INTERIM MANAGEMENT MEMBERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING PARTY MEMBERS SEATED AT THE MEETING VARIOUS OF PARTY INTERIM MANAGEMENT MEMBERS TALKING JAVIER FERNANDEZ TALKING TO INTERIM MANAGEMENT SPOKESMAN, MARIO JIMENEZ PARTY MEMBERS AT THE MEETING VARIOUS OF SUSANA DIAZ TALKING TO PRESIDENT OF THE ARAGON REGIONAL GOVERNMENT, JAVIER LAMBAN, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING GENERAL SECRETARY OF SOCIALIST PARTY IN LA RIOJA REGION, CESAR LUENA, AND PARTY MEMBERS SEATED AT MEETING VARIOUS OF PARTY INTERIM MANAGEMENT VARIOUS OF MEETING IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 7th November 2016 10:02
- Keywords: Spain politics Socialist Party government formation
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001558466F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spain's Socialists are expected to clear the way for the conservative People's Party (PP) to be sworn in for a second term, ending a 10-month political deadlock.
In an unprecedented move in Spain's modern politics, more than 250 members of the Socialists were meeting on Sunday (October 23) to consider abstaining in a new confidence vote due next week which would grant acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy a second term.
The result of the Socialist vote is expected to be announced by early afternoon.
Spain has had a caretaker government since December after no single party managed to win a clear parliamentary majority in two inconclusive elections.
The results have broken the stable two-party system that the country has had since the 1970s.
Rajoy's PP won the most votes in the two ballots but failed to win a wide enough majority to form a government.
In both elections, the Socialists came second place followed by newcomer parties Podemos and Ciudadanos, which together secured close to a third of Parliamentary seats.
To form a minority government, Rajoy needed sufficient support, or an abstention, from his rivals in a confidence vote, though deep party divides made reaching any accord impossible.
The Socialists, after denying Rajoy's reelection twice, were set to vote against him again under the leadership of Pedro Sanchez, sending the country into its third election in a year.
However, many in Sanchez' party feared voters would turn their backs on the Socialists, dropping them into third place behind leftist Podemos if another election was called.
Sanchez eventually stood down after a party revolt, leaving the Socialists under interim management which must decide on abstention before the end of October. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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