Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Spain got a new left-wing coalition government on Tuesday after the country’s parliament voted to return Pedro Sanchez as prime minister.
The administration is a coalition between the centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the leftist group Podemos.
The decision appears to signal an end to months of political deadlock in Spain, which held two general elections last year, the most recent of them in November.
The new coalition is the first such arrangement in the country’s political history since the restoration of democracy in the 1970s.
Mr Sanchez won the vote narrowly thanks in part to the abstention of left-leaning Catalan and Basque nationalist MPs.
The new government plans to raise taxes on higher earners and restore workers’ rights after measures were brought in to make it easier to fire them.
The vote was on such a knife-edge that one Podemos MP, Aina Vidal, attended the chamber despite suffering from cancer and being in severe pain. She received an emotional round of applause from colleagues.
The formation of the new government is a bittersweet moment for Mr Sanchez, who called the second election of last year in the hope of securing a majority. Instead, the move proved to be a miscalculation and his party lost seats while the main opposition groups gained ground, including a surge for the far-right Vox group.
He is expected to be sworn in and appoint his cabinet as early as next Wednesday.
Other issues facing the government include the question of Catalan independence.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments