Spain PM Sanchez loses confidence vote as coalition talks with far-left fail

Spain’s caretaker socialist PM Pedro Sanchez lost a crunch post-election vote of confidence on Thursday after coalition talks with the far-left failed. Sanchez faced a confidence vote in parliament after his Socialist party won most seats in an inconclusive general election in April without securing a majority.

Apart from the 123 lawmakers of his own party, just one other deputy from a regional grouping supported Sanchez in the confidence vote, leaving him far from the simple majority he needed to go through, AFP reported.

Spain is now a step closer to holding its fourth general election in as many years. The country faces an ongoing separatist movement in its northeastern region of Catalonia, high unemployment, low wages, and job insecurity.

Sanchez has another two months to find ways of getting support, either for a minority or coalition government.