MADRID (AP) – Spain’s Socialist Party lost its first attempt Wednesday to form a government, falling far short of the parliamentary votes needed ahead of a second ballot scheduled for Friday that looks unlikely to solve the country’s political paralysis following a fragmented national election two months ago.
The Socialists led by Pedro Sanchez got just 130 votes, with 219 against and one abstention. The conservative Popular Party led by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the far-left newcomer Podemos party joined together along with several small regional parties to deny Sanchez’ attempt at becoming prime minister.
The vote came after an inconclusive Dec. 20 election that saw the nation’s traditional two-party system shattered with the entry of Podemos and another upstart party, the business-friendly Ciudadanos.
Podemos and Cuidadanos got third and fourth place because of voter outrage over high Spanish unemployment, unpopular austerity measures invoked by the Popular Party during its 2011-2015 rule and corruption scandals hitting the Popular and Socialist parties.
Sanchez needed at least 176 votes to form a government but only received his party’s 90 votes plus 40 from Ciudadanos.