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Spain stalemate

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So a grand-left-wing coalition looks set to govern Spain after the general election ended in stalemate last month. The grouping will bring together the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) the anti-austerity movement, Podemos, and the United Left, who are communist. The socialist leader, Pedro Sanchez, looks set to lead the government with Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias as deputy prime minister. The centre-right Partido Popular, which won the election, will pay the price for not securing a majority and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is “acting” prime minister at the moment will be ejected from office. But this broad-based coalition faces many hurdles: Podemos, a party which was born out of the anti-eviction movement during the recession, will have a key role which could easily “spook” foreign investors away. Podemos also wants to give the people of Catalonia a referendum on independence, a policy which the Spanish Socialists oppose. I still maintain that for the good of Spain the most sensible solution to end the political stalemate would be to call new elections. Recent opinion polls suggest that the Spanish people do not want another election but faced with a coalition government which looks very shaky (and it still hasn´t actually been formed), I still believe that it is the best solution. All countries need strong government and what is on offer at the moment is not strong government. Spain should think again.

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