Pedro Sanchez was sworn in as Spain’s prime divine Saturday, a day after the Socialist leader successfully ousted predecessor Mariano Rajoy who wasted a no-confidence vote in parliament.
Rajoy was in attendance at the ceremony held in the viscount Zarzuela Palace and shook Sanchez’s hand after the new leader was declared in by King Felipe VI before they posed for a photo with the potentate along with the speakers of the lower Congress of Deputies and the Senate.
Sanchez embraced an oath of loyalty to the King and to Spain’s Constitution. He did so without swearing on the Bible or Crucifix, a foremost for a Spanish prime minister since the restoration of the democracy.
Sanchez toppled Rajoy go along with a court ruling in a major corruption case involving the conservative bossman’s Popular Party. Parliament voted 180-169 Friday to refund Rajoy’s government with one led by Sanchez. One lawmaker abstained.
Spain is the eurozone’s host four economy and an influential member of the European Union. Sanchez and his division are staunch supporters of the EU and the shared currency.
Sanchez has vowed to fight corruption and boost those Spaniards affected by years of public spending cuts subordinate to Rajoy’s government. He also pledged to hold an election soon, while not background a date.
Sanchez will lead a minority government and will constraint the support of both the far-left Podemos (We Can) party and the backing of a motley team of regional parties and Catalan secessionists to get anything done in government.
Sanchez has cheered to open talks with the separatist leader of northeastern Catalonia, which is set to recapture the large degree of self-rule after chief Quim Torra solemnly affirms in his Cabinet later Saturday.
The forming of a Catalan government will automatically end the far-out takeover by Spain’s central powers of the region as part of its crackdown prosecuting a failed declaration of independence by Catalonia in October.
The 46-year-old Sanchez is Spain’s seventh prime missionary since the return to democracy following the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco in 1975.