Socialists put Mariano Rajoy at the helm of a new Spanish government

2016-11-05 08:00:00

After a final debating session in Spain's Congreso on Saturday the members of Spain's Congreso voted to allow conservative candidate and until now acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to form a government.
The PP leader Rajoy's bid to lead the government for another term of office succeeded, ending the country's long political deadlock, with 170 votes in favour, 111 against and 68 abstentions.
Of the PSOE members, the majority complied with their party's instructions to abstain in this second round of voting, as decided at last week's committee meeting headed by the caretaker commission currently at the helm of the Socialist party.
Fifteen Socialists failed to toe the party line and voted against Rajoy's bid, mainly members from the party's branches in Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Pedro Sánchez
Earlier on Saturday, former PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez gave up his seat as a member of Congreso, calling for a party congress as soon as possible to elect a new leader.
He said that now, as one of many grassroots party members, he would fight for the right of all members to vote for a new leader to "recuperate" the Socialist party.
Protests
Meanwhile thousands of people answered calls to "surround Congreso" to protest at the investiture of Mariano Rajoy, permitted by the Socialist abstentions.source surinenglish