After 10 months of bickering and failed deals, two inconclusive general elections and some of the most dramatic political upheaval since its return to democracy more than four decades ago, Spain finally has a government again.



Mariano Rajoy, leader of the conservative People’s party (PP), was returned to office following a second investiture vote on Saturday, after the Spanish Socialist party (PSOE) chose to abstain to break the political paralysis and avoid a third election.

The vote, which brought an end to more than 300 days of political paralysis, saw Rajoy win the required simple majority in Spain’s 350-seat congress of deputies, securing the backing of 170 MPs from his own party, the centrist Citizens party and the Canaries coalition. A total of 111 MPs voted against him and 68 abstained, with 15 members of the PSOE defying their leadership by voting no. Rajoy is expected to be sworn in by King Felipe on Sunday.

Thousands of protesters gathered around parliament to demonstrate against Rajoy’s return and oppose what they see as his “illegitimate government”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Protestors against Rajoy’s investiture for a second term in Madrid. Photograph: Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty Images

Speaking after the vote, Rajoy said there was still a lot of work to do and called for congress to come together. “We’re going to try to look for agreement and understanding with everyone,” he said. “I’m happy because even though we received less support than in [the election] in 2011, a majority of Spaniards have continued to trust the People’s party, which has had to govern in the most difficult times.

“I think we’re a great nation and a great country and I hope that this isn’t just an investiture session, but that, as in other European countries where no one has a majority, we’ll be able to govern and work in a joint manner.”

Although the PP took the most seats in the elections in December 2015 and June this year, it failed to win an outright majority in either. The PSOE, which came second in both, had vociferously refused to do anything to ease Rajoy’s return as prime minister, until its leader Pedro Sánchez was ousted in an acrimonious uprising that has torn the party apart.



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Sánchez had dismissed pleas from parts of the PSOE to allow the PP back into government, insisting that the latter was too deeply mired in a series of corruption scandals to be allowed to retake office.

He stood down as leader this month after losing a vote that would have allowed grassroots party members to back or sack him in a leadership contest.

The PSOE’s caretaker leadership had abandoned Sánchez’s position and decided to offer the necessary abstentions in Saturday’s investiture vote, thereby allowing Rajoy to form a minority government.

It voted against him in protest at his policies after the first investiture debate earlier this week, leading Rajoy to lose the vote by 180 seats to 170.

Sánchez resigned his seat hours before Saturday’s vote, saying: “I can neither go against my party nor against my electoral pledge.”

He did, however, hint that he was planning to run for leadership again, saying that he would work “in a loyal and constructive way” to rebuild an independent PSOE that kept its distance from the PP.

“On Monday, I’m going to get in my car and travel all across Spain to listen to all those who haven’t been listened to – party members and voters on the left,” he said.

The socialists have vowed to scrutinise Rajoy’s every move, reminding him that he is only prime minister once again because of their abstention.



“Mr Rajoy, the citizens well know – as do you – that neither you nor your project have our confidence,” PSOE spokesman Antonio Hernando told congress on Saturday. “We believe that you are not the president that Spain deserves, but what we need even less are third elections.”

Rajoy had adopted a conciliatory tone during the first debate on Wednesday.

“I know there will be obstacles and that every step or law will have to be the fruit of an accord,” he said. “We’ve lost 10 months, but they won’t have been in vain if we’ve learned something.”



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Rajoy’s first task when he resumes office will be to get next year’s budget approved. Spain’s economy grew by 0.7% over the previous quarter, but the country needs to find €5bn (£4.5bn) through tax increases or cuts if it is to meet its deficit target.

The PSOE has made it clear that the party will not approve the next government’s budgets or do anything to bolster its stability.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pablo Iglesias of Podemos delivers his speech during the session of Rajoy’s investiture. Photograph: Javier Lizon/EPA

The disarray in the ranks of the PSOE has provided the anti-austerity party Podemos with an opportunity to displace it as the dominant force of the Spanish left.

The Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias, told parliament on Thursday that his party would not “fall into line” and asked how the Socialists could provide a real opposition if they had allowed Rajoy to govern. In a blistering address, he told the PSOE: “It may be hard for you to recognise this, but you’re closer to the People’s party than to us.”