• PSOE’s Felipe González wants Sánchez to step away from Podemos deal •
As Spain’s political parties jockey for position in their efforts to form a new government, powerbrokers within the Socialist party (PSOE) are pressuring party leader Pedro Sánchez to avoid at all costs a coalition with new-left, anti-austerity party Podemos — even if it means negotiating a deal with the conservative People’s Party (PP) to form a short-term government of national stability.
Now publicly joining the ranks of several PSOE regional leaders reportedly urging Sánchez in private to walk away from a coalition offer from Podemos is former Socialist Prime Minister Felipe González, mistrustful of Podemos’ intentions and a staunch critic of the two-year-old anti-austerity party.
Sánchez meets with PSOE regional leaders individually this week prior to a strategy meeting of the party’s federal council Saturday, with Spanish head of state King Felipe VI expected to request either Sánchez or the PP’s acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy to attempt to form the new government after meetings with each leader next Tuesday.
► Read the Full Story in Spanish at ABC and El País …
► Read Analysis in English at The Financial Times …
