• Iglesias’ popularity declines amid voter discontent over Podemos tactics •
As the Socialist party (PSOE) prepares for this week’s near-certain rejection in Congress of party leader Pedro Sánchez’s candidacy to become Spain’s next president, attention is shifting to the next 60 days of anticipated political wrangling and which party will be most blamed by voters if Spaniards are forced to return to the polls in June for a second general election.
A Metroscopia poll released last week shows most voters want Spain’s political parties to stop squabbling and reach a coalition deal, while a sharp decline in Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias’ popularity among the general electorate suggests a souring on Podemos’ confrontational tactics and the growing possibility that voters could punish the party for refusing to support a PSOE-led coalition government if a second general election were called.
Analysts say the Socialist strategy now will be to heighten voters’ negative perception of Podemos as obstructionist and willing to risk a return to power of Partido Popular (PP) leader Mariano Rajoy, a gambit designed to make a second general election a greater political risk for Podemos than acquiescing to a negotiated abstention in another round of Congressional balloting, which would make Sánchez the next president and allow Podemos to become the leading left-wing party in opposition.
► Read More in Spanish at El País and El Periódico …
► Read More in English at AFP via The Sun Daily …
