THE RIGHT WINS IN SPAIN BUT IT WILL HAVE DIFFICULT TO GOVERN

Is Spain ungovernable? This is the impression offered by the results of the general elections held on Sunday, in which the conservative right, represented by the Popular Party (PP), of Alberto Núñez Feijoo, has won, although he is not sure he can govern.
The party with the most votes has been the PP, with 136 seats and will be able to count on the 33 of the far-right party, "VOX", of Santiago Abascal. But the sum of 169 is below the majority in Parliament, which is 176 seats. Feijoo will only be able to govern if Pedro Sánchez, leader of the socialist party (PSOE) abstains at the time of choosing the new head of government. But Pedro Sánchez has already said that he will not do it because he is the one who can obtain a comfortable majority.
The PSOE remains the second political force with 122 seats, and together with the communists of the "Sumar" party with 31 seats, it totals 153. A figure that is far from the majority.
But while Feijoo no longer has parties that support him, Pedro Sánchez has the possible support of the Catalan and Basque independence bloc (14 seats) and, surely, with the Basque National Party (PNV) with 5 seats; and also with the heir party of the terrorist group ETA, the so-called EHBILDU, which has another 5 seats.
In other words, Pedro Sánchez can accumulate 177 seats, one more than the parliamentary majority.
If all these disparate partners and enemies among them agree to support Pedro Sánchez, he will manage to remain head of government for another four years.
Alternation, which is one of the great principles of democracy, has not played a role this time, and the Spaniards have once again voted in favor of Pedro Sánchez's socialists, although the polls said that he was going to lose and would have to leave because of his pacts with communism and the Basque and Catalan independentistas who want to break the unity of Spain.
Many analysts were convinced that Pedro Sánchez's pacts with the extreme left were going to cost him his job, but this has not been the case. Sánchez violated the historical line of Spanish socialism, which has always condemned communism and said that they would never be allies. Pedro Sánchez committed what some described as the "Frankenstein effect" but thanks to those alliances he managed to win.
And now the same thing could happen. If the pro-independence forces support him, Pedro Sánchez will be able to repeat. But on what condition? Because the independence movement is going to demand that he allow a referendum on self-determination to be held in Catalonia and the Basque Country, which is prohibited by the constitution.
In summary, a difficult situation for both Feijóo and Pedro Sánchez, although the latter has a "reserve" of seats that the Popular Party lacks.
This is going to be the most complicated investiture of the next head of government, given how the scenario is. And it cannot be ruled out that a blockade will arise in Parliament that will force a repeat of the elections. Pedro Sánchez has, however, more possibilities than Feijoo to continue in office. Spain is different!!!

Manuel Ostos
Photo: Pedro Sánchez celebrates his "victory"