Spain’s Sanchez Closer to Third Term as Top Rival Loses Vote
- Opposition leader falls short of majority in initial ballot
- Feijoo will make final push to convince lawmakers on Friday
Pedro Sanchez during an investiture voting session at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid, Spain, on Sept. 27.
Photographer: Manaure Quintero/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Spanish conservative opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo failed as expected in an initial bid to win parliamentary backing to form a government, putting acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez a step closer to retaining power.
Feijoo fell four votes short of the majority of 176 he needed in Wednesday’s vote by lawmakers in Madrid, the latest twist following July’s inconclusive general election. He is also likely to lose a second vote due on Friday, clearing the way for Sanchez to make a bid for the premiership that hinges on the support of Catalan and Basque separatists.