Spain gets new left-wing coalition government after socialist leader wins vote

Spain’s parliament backs Pedro Sanchez as prime minister, appearing to end deadlock

PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez is congratulated by Spanish left-wing Unidas Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias (AFP)

Spain got a new left-wing coalition government on Tuesday after the country’s parliament voted to return Pedro Sanchez as prime minister.

The administration is a coalition between the centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the leftist group Podemos.

The decision appears to signal an end to months of political deadlock in Spain, which held two general elections last year, the most recent of them in November.

The new coalition is the first such arrangement in the country’s political history since the restoration of democracy in the 1970s.

Mr Sanchez won the vote narrowly thanks in part to the abstention of left-leaning Catalan and Basque nationalist MPs.

The new government plans to raise taxes on higher earners and restore workers’ rights after measures were brought in to make it easier to fire them.

The vote was on such a knife-edge that one Podemos MP, Aina Vidal, attended the chamber despite suffering from cancer and being in severe pain. She received an emotional round of applause from colleagues.

The formation of the new government is a bittersweet moment for Mr Sanchez, who called the second election of last year in the hope of securing a majority. Instead, the move proved to be a miscalculation and his party lost seats while the main opposition groups gained ground, including a surge for the far-right Vox group.

He is expected to be sworn in and appoint his cabinet as early as next Wednesday.

Other issues facing the government include the question of Catalan independence.