Spanish lawmakers to vote on Pedro Sánchez leadership

MADRID – The speaker of Spain’s lower house says that lawmakers will vote in late July to decide whether Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez has enough support to form a government.

Negotiations to back Sánchez leading a fresh term as prime minister have stalled for weeks since his Socialists won an Apr. 28 election but fell short of a majority to govern on their own.

Congress of Deputies Speaker Meritxell Batet announced Tuesday that a vote will take place on July 23. If the centre-left leader doesn’t win by a majority, he could still form a minority government with a vote two days later.

The anti-austerity We Can (Podemos) party wants positions in the new Cabinet, but Sánchez refuses. Even with their support, he would still need backing from smaller regional parties.