Spain’s Feijóo loses first vote to become prime minister

Spain’s Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo on Wednesday failed to obtain enough support in the Spanish parliament to be appointed the country’s prime minister.

The conservative boss needed to secure the support of at least 176 of the parliament’s 350 lawmakers — an absolute majority — to be confirmed as prime minister in Wednesday’s vote. But only 172 MPs voted in favor of his candidacy, with 178 voting against.

Although the Popular Party won the most votes in July’s national election, it fell short of a majority, and its proximity to the far-right Vox party has made it impossible for Feijóo to secure additional support from other groups in parliament.

Spain’s constitution requires the parliament to vote on Feijóo’s bid to form a government for a second time in 48 hours. The Popular Party leader only needs to secure a simple majority of the ballots — more yeas than nays — but a majority of lawmakers are expected to once again reject his candidacy on Friday.

If that happens, King Felipe VI will have to summon political leaders back to Zarzuela Palace and once again quiz them on who they think should be prime minister.

Caretaker prime minister and Socialist Party leader Pedro Sánchez is well positioned to remain in office, but in order to do so he will need to convince lawmakers from the Catalan separatist group Junts to back his bid to form a government.

Wednesday’s rejection of Feijóo’s candidacy automatically starts a countdown clock for a new election in Spain. If lawmakers do not give Feijóo or another candidate their backing to form a government within two months’ time, the parliament will be dissolved and a new vote will be held on January 14, 2024.