Socialist wins key vote that could pave way for new government in Spain

Members of Spain's lower house of parliament have elected Socialist Francina Armengol as its speaker with the backing of other parties whose votes will be needed to form a Socialist-led coalition government.

Armengol's candidacy received 178 votes in favour out of 350 lawmakers, garnering crucial support from the seven lawmakers of the pro-Catalan independence party Junts per Catalunya, which has been cast in the role of kingmaker.

Inconclusive national elections on July 23 left no party with an easy path to cobble together the support needed to lead a government.

The Catalan party's deal with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) could signal its willingness to back acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's bid for a new term following an inconclusive national election last month.

Sanchez, who first took power in 2018, has ruled since early 2020 thanks to a minority coalition with the far-left Podemos party, which merged with other groups into a new alliance called Sumar.

It remains to be seen if Sánchez can round up the same support as Armengol should he be called on by the king to try to form a government. If not, a n ew election could be around the corner.

The conservative People's Party won more seats than the Socialists in July but did not secure an outright majority and seems to lack sufficient support to form a government.

Armengol was leader of the Catalan-speaking Balearic Islands region - comprised of tourist-favourite islands Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera - between 2015 and June 2023, ruling in coalition with Podemos and regionalist Mes per Mallorca.

She lost power to an alliance between the PP and the far-right Vox after local and regional elections in May.

Her candidacy for the speakership was seen as a nod to Catalan parties, whose support Sanchez needs to renew his term as premier.

Earlier on Thursday, Catalonia's left-wing separatist party Esquerra Republicana said it reached an agreement with the PSOE to back Armengol, who speaks Catalan.

Rival separatist party Junts also struck a deal in principle to back Armengol, according to state broadcaster TVE.

Sumar, the fourth-largest group in parliament, had said from the beginning it would back the PSOE.

Esquerra leader Gabriel Ruffian told a news conference prior to the parliamentary vote that the agreement on the speaker did not imply support for the formation of a Sanchez government.

"It has nothing to do with the investiture," he said.