Podemos Leader Says Pedro Sanchez Wants Another Election in Spain

(Bloomberg) -- The leader of anti-establishment group Podemos accused acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of steering Spain toward a new general election, setting the tone for fraught negotiations with less than three weeks to form a government.

“It seems like Pedro Sanchez wants new elections,” Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said in a televised interview Thursday. “I think that’s a mistake.”

Spain’s fourth general election in as many years would probably leave Sanchez and his Socialist Party in the same position they are currently in: the party that has the most votes but still falling short of a majority of lawmakers that’s needed to govern solo, Iglesias said. Another ballot would also raise the risk of handing electoral victory to Spain’s three parties on the right, something both Sanchez and Iglesias want to avoid, the leader of Podemos said.

Iglesias reiterated his calls for Sanchez to give Podemos leaders top positions in his government, something the acting prime minister flatly rejected again this week. Sanchez has said he doesn’t want new elections -- even though some polls show he could strengthen his hand. The acting premier insists that as the most voted party in Spain’s April general election, he deserves the support from Podemos and other smaller parties to become a second-term prime minister. The most Sanchez says he will offer is to agree on policies to implement in the next legislature.

The continued distance between the two sides portends tough negotiations in coming days. Sanchez has until Sept. 23 to win a confidence vote. If not, Spaniards will head to the polls again.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeannette Neumann in Madrid at jneumann25@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Fergal O'Brien at fobrien@bloomberg.net, Ben Sills, Richard Bravo

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