New Party Opts to Fight for Left-Wing Votes in Spanish Elections

(Bloomberg) -- Mas Madrid, an anti-austerity party, opted to contest general elections in November in a move that could further fracture the left-wing vote going into Spain’s fourth national ballot in as many years.

Members of the platform voted overwhelmingly to take part in the vote at a meeting held in the capital, Mas Madrid said on Twitter.

The Socialist party of Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emerged as the biggest party in elections held in April but short of a majority, leaving him to negotiate with other parties to stay in power. His attempts to form a new government finally broke down last week as talks with Podemos, a party born out of street protests at Spain’s 2012 financial crisis, got nowhere. Elections are now due Nov. 10.

Mas Madrid is led by Inigo Errejon, who broke ranks in January with Podemos, a party he had helped found. In elections held in May, the party won 20 seats in Madrid regional elections, compared with just seven won by Podemos.

To contact the reporter on this story: Charles Penty in Madrid at cpenty@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Kevin Miller, James Ludden

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