Sanchez wins Parliament vote to remain Spain PM

Coalition with Podemos ends deadlock

Spanish caretaker prime minister, socialist Pedro Sanchez, applauds after winning a parliamentary vote to elect a premier at the Spanish Congress (Las Cortes) in Madrid on January 7, 2020. - Spain's parliament today confirmed Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez by a razor-thin margin as prime minister for another term at the helm of the country's first-ever coalition government since its return to democracy in the 1970s. Sanchez, who has stayed on as a caretaker premier since inconclusive elections last year, got 167 votes in favour in the 350-seat assembly comapred to 165 against, with 18 abstentions from Catalan and Basque separatist lawmakers. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP)

Spain’s Parliament on Tuesday confirmed Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez by a razor-thin margin as Prime Minister for another term at the helm of the country’s first-ever coalition government since its return to democracy in the 1970s.

Mr. Sanchez, who has stayed on as a caretaker premier, won 167 votes in the 350-seat Assembly compared to 165 against, with a decisive 18 abstentions by Catalan and Basque separatist MPs.

He plans to form a minority coalition government with hard-left party Podemos this time around, in what would be the first coalition government in Spain since the country returned to democracy following the death of longtime dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

Spain has been without a proper government for most of the past year after two inconclusive polls.