Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont is demanding that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez seek a vote of confidence in parliament, escalating tensions within the fragile governing coalition, Bloomberg reports.
Puigdemont, leader of the pro-independence Junts party, made the announcement at a press conference on Monday, declaring Sánchez untrustworthy and necessitating a confidence vote.
Puigdemont emphasized that he hasn’t yet consulted with other political parties regarding this demand. Under Spanish parliamentary rules, only the government itself can initiate a confidence vote. While other parties can propose a no-confidence vote to oust the prime minister, such a motion requires a majority in parliament to succeed.
Ironically, Sánchez himself came to power in 2018 through a successful no-confidence vote against then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, a historic event in Spanish politics. Following the inconclusive July 2023 election, Sánchez formed a government with the support of eight parties, including Junts.
Despite its relatively small size – Junts holds only seven seats in parliament – the party has played a kingmaker role since the election, wielding considerable influence over legislative outcomes.
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