A no-confidence motion brought by Spanish far-right party VOX against the centre-left coalition government of Pedro Sánchez sparkled a harsh debate with the centre-right party Partido Popular.
On Wednesday a no-confidence vote was held in the Spanish parliament. The motion, presented by VOX leader Santiago Abascal, was duly dismissed, with only 52 votes in favour, all from VOX plus a single vote from centre-right party Ciudadanos. However, the vote was anticipated by controversy as main opposition party PP decided to abstain.
The leader of the centre-right party Alberto Núñez Feijóo said in advance that his party would abstain from the vote, a move that prompted the of the PSOE and PM Sánchez to accuse Núñez Feijóo of “moving closer to VOX.” Sánchez added that the decision to abstain is part of “Feijóo’s project” to repeat a coalition government with VOX, like a similar one the two parties have in Castilla y León.
This is the second motion that VOX presented against the ruling government. In the first one in October 2020, the PP voted against. At the time, the party was helmed by Pablo Casado. Núñez Feijóo assumed the leadership of the centre-right PP in March 2022.
In case the motion would have been successful, VOX proposed to install as PM economist and former communist member Ramón Tamames. The 89 years old Tamames also drafted the motion and proposed an early election for May 28.
As the motion failed, general elections are still on course for December. Before that, in May there will be municipal and general elections. Many commentators are looking at those elections as a test for the coalition government, especially the relationship between the PSOE and Unidas Podemos.
