Will Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez announce his resignation?

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has suspended his schedule to consider resigning, a decision he has pondered for five days. The possibility of his resignation has divided the country, with an announcement expected today.

The fallout from Sánchez’s potential resignation has triggered widespread political turmoil, with demonstrations both supporting and opposing his continuation in office occurring across the country. The largest rally took place this Saturday, organised by his supporters in front of the party’s headquarters on Ferraz Street.

‘Pedro, we are with you’

The Socialist Party’s leadership convened for a historic Federal Committee session, broadcast live, where Finance Minister María Jesús Montero began with a vocal show of support, stating, “Pedro, we are with you.”

Meanwhile, the opposition has escalated its rhetoric recently, criticizing him for failing to provide explanations, neglecting his duties, and employing a victimisation strategy to dominate the political narrative.

Different theories about his future

Recently, numerous theories have surfaced regarding Pedro Sánchez’s next steps. He is set to reveal his decision from the Moncloa Palace at 11 am local time.

“It’s naive to believe that the prime minister doesn’t already know his plans for Monday. It’s less about him needing time to reflect and more about him suggesting that we reflect on what the country would look like without him as the leader,” political analyst Luis Arroyo told Euronews. 

Postponement of candidate lists for European elections

The uncertainty surrounding the situation has impacted the European election campaign, delaying the finalisation of candidate lists until Tuesday, even though the PSOE’s lead candidate, Teresa Ribera, has already been announced.

International responses quickly followed, with global left-wing leaders like Colombia’s Gustavo Petro and Brazil’s Lula da Silva expressing their support for the prime minister.

For the first time in Spain, a prime minister has paused his official agenda ‘to reflect.’ This could lead to the rare occurrence of a prime minister’s resignation in Spanish democratic history.