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News > World

Spain: Pablo Iglesias Prepared to Step Aside for Left Coalition

  • Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez (L) and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias talk during their meeting at the parliament in Madrid.

    Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez (L) and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias talk during their meeting at the parliament in Madrid. | Photo: Reuters

Published 30 March 2016
Opinion

The leader of Podemos is making the offer in an attempt to prevent a left-right coalition from ruling Spain.

Pablo Iglesias, leader of Spanish anti-austerity party Podemos, said Wednesday he was willing to make compromises, including not being part of a government himself, in order to pave the way for a left-wing coalition in Spain.

RELATED: Spain's Podemos and Socialist Parties to Finally Discuss Alliance

"If, in order to have a progressive coalition in Spain, my presence in the government is a problem for the Socialist party then I am willing to give way and not be part of this government," Pablo Iglesias told a news conference after meeting with Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez. He had until now proposed a plan to be deputy prime minister or a member of the cabinet.

"There are no more excuses. We have demonstrated that we can give way. In politics, it's a good thing to know when to give way and now it's the Socialist party's turn," Iglesias said.

In turn, Iglesias is asking Sanchez to break his "governing pact" with the right-wing Ciudadanos and instead form a coalition only with parties on the left. The Socialist party and Ciudadanos together have 130 seats, 46 short of a majority.

Catalonian website VilaWeb wrote Wednesday that the meeting dashed hopes for an independence referendum since Iglesias did not bring up the issue but rather pressed for consensus.

He also made waves on social media for his gift to Sanchez, a book on the history of basketball. He tweeted his note, "It's good to start with what unites us."

"Today I brought a book to Pedro Sanchez. I believe he is going to like it."

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