He said that the country with the most votes has always governed. And he called on the PSOE not to block that possibility, despite the narrow victory. Pedro Sánchez celebrated having obtained more votes than four years ago.
“All the presidents who have won the elections have governed. it behooves me to try. That’s what I’ll do. Let’s talk these days. I only have one commitment: with Spain, no more,” said the leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo after his narrow victory in the elections this Sunday.
“The anomaly that in Spain the party with the most votes could not govern only has as an alternative the blockade, that nothing benefits Spain, neither our international prestige nor the security of investments and that in the fourth largest economy in the EU the president is the one with more votes than the president of the opposition. I ask the party that has lost the elections, the PSOE expressly and the rest of the political forces, that they do not block the government of Spain once again”he added.
“You have to listen to the Spaniards. They wanted the PP to win the elections and as the candidate with the most support in the general elections, and with all humility, I take charge of starting the dialogue to form the Government in accordance with the will of the Spaniards. I formally ask that no one be tempted to blockade Spain again“said the leader of the PP.
“We have obtained 8 million votes, 3 more than in the previous elections. Our obligation now is that a period of uncertainty does not open up in Spain. Today they have given us confidence in the PP and they have also told all the parties to talk. As a candidate for the party with the most votes, my duty is to open the dialogue to lead that dialogue from the first minute and to try to govern our country,” he said.
Socialism, of celebration
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, celebrated the result of the elections on the balcony of Ferraz. “We have obtained more votes, more seats and a higher percentage than four years ago”. Sánchez has also celebrated the victory of the progressive bloc. “The block of retreat that proposed the repeal of the advances of the last four years has failed,” he stated in reference to the PP and Vox. The crowd chanted: “President, President!” and “they shall not pass.”
Sánchez began his speech with thanks to the socialist auditors during the day and to all the voters who have once again trusted the PSOE: “Thanks to the true protagonists, all the Spaniards who have voted and have shown exemplary behavior.”
Later, between shouts of “they will not pass” and “president, president”, the socialist leader threw a dart to the right: “Those who raised machismo, the setback in rights and freedoms have failed today and the PP Vox bloc has been defeated”, he said.
The numbers
The conservatives won the general elections in Spain on Sunday, but they did not achieve the necessary margin to knock out the coalition government headed by the socialist Pedro Sánchez, which opens a period of uncertainty and negotiations that could lead to various scenarios.
With more than 99% of the ballots counted, the two main parties consolidated their dominant position in parliament, although they did not reach the 176 seats that the majority grants. At the same time, they presented their credentials to lead the new government, which they must reach through coalitions.
The Popular Party of Alberto Núñez Feijóo won 136 seats a notable increase compared to the discreet result of four years ago, when it obtained 89, while the Socialist Party added 122 representatives, two more than in 2019.
Vox far-right formation repeated as the third most voted force with 33 seats, a notable decrease compared to the 52 of the last legislature, and the new left-wing movement Sumar, which brings together 15 smaller formations, accumulated 31 deputies.
In this stage, Sánchez would have more allies to turn to to forge a coalition broad spectrum, in which Basque and Catalan nationalist and pro-independence parties would come into play. The block that would support the left would add 172 seats, compared to the 170 that the right would have.
Source: AP and Clarín
