New elections in July: Prime Minister Sanchez dissolves the Spanish parliament

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Spain’s left-wing head of government, Pedro Sánchez, surprisingly announced early parliamentary elections after his social-democratic party’s heavy defeat in regional and local elections. He got King Felipe VI. announced his decision to “dissolve parliament and call a general election,” Sánchez said in a televised address on Monday. Instead of December, as previously planned, the Spaniards should vote on their new parliament on July 23.

“As head of government and leader of the Socialist Party, I take responsibility for the results,” said Sánchez. The democratic mandate of his government is based on the will of the people.

Spain goes to elections during the EU Council presidency

The socialist PSOE and its left-wing partners suffered a heavy defeat in regional and local elections on Sunday, which were seen as a test for parliamentary elections. In the national local elections, the conservative PP with 31.5 percent clearly relegated the PSOE to second place, which fell to 28.11 percent. The PP was also able to celebrate successes in regional elections, for example in Madrid or in the Balearic Islands with Mallorca. In many places, however, it will depend on the support of the right-wing populist party Vox.

The main problem for Sánchez seemed to be that the parties to the left of the PSOE were at odds and that his previous coalition partner, the left-wing alternative party Unidas Podemos (UP), lost the most voters on Sunday. The fourth-largest economy in the European Union is about to go into elections, while the country will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council for six months from 1 July. (AFP/a)

Source: Blick