Pedro Sanchez Is Sworn In As Spain's New Prime Minister

[appalachiablue]

Source: BBC

Spanish Socialist Pedro Sánchez has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister by King Felipe after the ousting of conservative Mariano Rajoy.

Mr Sánchez, who is an atheist, took the oath to protect the constitution without a bible or crucifix - a first in Spain's modern history. He plans to see out the remaining two years of the parliamentary term. The Socialist leader won the support of six other parties to remove Mr Rajoy over a massive corruption scandal. As Spain's new prime minister, whose party only has a quarter of the seats in parliament, he now has to decide who to include in his cabinet and is expected to name them next week.

In a brief ceremony at the royal residence in Madrid on Saturday, Mr Sánchez, 46, promised to "faithfully fulfil" his duties "with conscience and honour, with loyalty to the king, and to guard and have guarded the constitution as a fundamental state rule". Mr Sánchez brought about the downfall of his predecessor Mr Rajoy by filing a no confidence motion in parliament following a scandal centred on a secret campaign fund that the conservative People's Party (PP) ran from 1999 until 2005. Mr Rajoy is the first prime minister in modern Spanish history to be defeated in a no-confidence motion.
The new Catalan President Quim Torra, who is a close ally of ousted separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, said that he was committed to continuing the drive for the region's independence from Spain.

Pedro Sánchez emerged as a virtual unknown to win the Spanish Socialist party premiership in 2014. The photogenic economist and former basketball player won members over with a promise to unite a divided party and put the Socialists back in power. Yet he subsequently suffered two humbling election defeats, in 2015 and 2016. He was eventually forced to resign after his refusal to back Mariano Rajoy in an investiture vote plunged the country into a prolonged political stalemate and his party into bitter infighting. Months later he confounded his many critics by returning to win the Socialist primary.

Spain's constitution states that the party presenting a no-confidence motion must be prepared to govern and replace the deposed prime minister if a parliamentary majority backs it. Therefore, this moderate but ambitious 46-year-old from Madrid is now Spain's prime minister, despite the fact that his party commands less than a quarter of seats in Congress.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44340879

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- SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ

[Tikki]

1. With Conscience and Honor.

Sounds just about perfect.

Why can't we have that leading our Country!!

Tikki

[appalachiablue]

2. Elevated principles of conscience and honor in a leader, how fortunate for Spain!

In the current environment, top US govt. officials with progressive ideals face challenges.

For the young and vulnerable whose future is most at stake I hope the course changes soon for the better. Blue Skies...
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[NOTE: The focus of this OP I posted is on the swearing in of new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, information about him, his political background and new role. I hope it remains posted. Another OP that I just now noticed after checking earlier, leads with the Outgoing Spanish PM, and the body lacks info. on Sanchez; I also can't read the rest of the OP article link blocked by a paywall. https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142072832]

[Perseus]

3. Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch

Unfortunately, the rhetoric that takes socialists to power evaporates within the first year, and by the 2nd year a full communism is established, along with corruption and decimated rule of law which becomes nothing short of a dictatorship with a false rhetoric of socialism.

I hope that I am wrong this time, but if you see what happened in Venezuela, just to have a current example, a "socialist" (Hugo Chavez) took power, and now it is a full dictatorship with real bad consequences for the country.

I will admit that I don't know enough about Pedro Sanchez, but will learn as much as I can in the coming days, although sometimes knowledge of the person is a null exercise because what they do to get to power is usually done by deceiving.

The moment his administration starts "close friendships" with Cuba, Russia, then you know things will not turn out well.

And if he brings Pablo Iglesias into his administration? that will be the clue that it will not turn out well. Pablo Iglesias was trained by Chavez, he spent about two years in Venezuela under Chavez tutelage, he is as corrupt as they come. So far, Sanchez has nor been a fan of Nicolas Maduro, lets see how that holds up, and if Iglesias comes in how Sanchez views may change.

[a la izquierda]

9. You do realize that Spain has had a socialist prime minister before, right?

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was prime minister for two terms, ending in 2011.
Considering I'm in Spain at the moment, I can assure you it is not the communist hell-hole you fear it will become. Parliamentary governments generally check that sort of thing.

[KayF]

4. who's scoffing now?

[Brother Buzz]

8. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!

[gopiscrap]

10. welcome to DU

[appalachiablue]

5. Spain has many issues now, and we'll see how the new government fares.

[Thyla]

6. If they remove the gag law here

Then I may actually be able to give you my honest thoughts on the matter. Truth is it will be more of the same. Don't let the socialist in their name fool you.
The coalition is flimsy and there will be an election within the year.

[appalachiablue]

7. More in this AFP article, "Sanchez Sworn In AS PM, Catalan Challenge"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/sanchez-sworn-in-as-spain-pm-catalan-challenge-awaits/ar-AAy6asx