The Senate passed a PP motion urging early elections, but Junts abstained and PNV voted no. The move exposes deep divisions among Sánchez’s allies and highlights the limits of PP’s parliamentary strategy.
The Senate has approved a motion from the Partido Popular (PP) calling for the dissolution of the Cortes and the immediate calling of early general elections. However, the outcome fell short of the PP’s expectations: while the motion passed with support from PP, Vox, and UPN, Junts chose not to participate in the vote and the PNV voted against. The result underscores the complex dynamics among the government’s parliamentary allies and the challenges facing opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo in building broader support for his push to force elections.
The motion, which is not legally binding but carries significant political weight, was designed to put pressure on Junts and the PNV after both parties had publicly called for early elections. The PP hoped to force these groups to clarify their positions in a public vote. Yet, Junts opted out entirely, while the PNV, which had previously abstained on a similar proposal, this time voted no. The abstention by Junts came after the party demanded the “effective application” of the amnesty law as a condition for its support—an amendment the PP rejected outright.
During the debate, Junts spokesperson Eduard Pujol criticized the PP for seeking their complicity while simultaneously rejecting their demands. He emphasized the fundamental differences between the PP and Catalan sovereigntists, highlighting ongoing grievances such as the legal situation of Carles Puigdemont. Pujol also made clear that Junts would not align with any initiative involving Vox, reinforcing the party’s distance from the right-wing bloc. The PNV, for its part, did not participate in the debate and quietly voted against the motion, reflecting a cooling of relations with the PP amid recent accusations involving the Basque company Tubos Reunidos.
The left-wing parties in the Senate, including PSOE and Más Madrid, criticized the PP for bringing forward a motion that had been blocked in the Congress and for avoiding a formal no-confidence motion. They argued that the PP’s majority in the Senate allows it to win votes but not to build convincing arguments or alliances. Geroa Bai’s Uxue Barkos also expressed disapproval of both the content of the motion and the decision to block debate in the lower house, warning that avoiding open discussion among coalition partners is a mistake.
This Senate vote follows a series of parliamentary maneuvers by the PP to increase pressure on Pedro Sánchez’s government and its allies. Recently, Feijóo ruled out presenting a no-confidence motion in Congress after the sentencing of José Luis Ábalos, instead focusing on demanding early elections and challenging Sánchez’s partners to clarify their positions—a strategy detailed in this recent report on the PP’s evolving tactics.
For context, the PP holds an absolute majority in the Senate, giving it control over the chamber’s agenda, but lacks the numbers in Congress to force a change in government. The amnesty law, a key demand from Junts, remains a point of contention in national politics. The PNV’s shifting stance reflects broader tensions between regional parties and the national leadership, especially as new allegations and political calculations come into play. The outcome of this vote highlights the limits of parliamentary maneuvering in the current fragmented landscape and signals ongoing uncertainty about the stability of Sánchez’s coalition.
