The leader of Spain’s Podemos party has refused to talk of forming alliances with any party to form a new government.
Instead Pablo Iglesias said the party’s priority will be to help the poor by proposing an emergency law to stop families being evicted if they cannot meet their mortgage payments and to ensure pensioners can buy medication.
“There are Spaniards who cannot wait,” Iglesias told a news conference after his talks with the acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy.
With their 69 seats in parliament, Podemos has been seen as a potential kingmaker after the inconclusive 20 December general election.
Podemos took third place in that election despite have been founded only two years ago. The Socialists came in second with 90 seats in the 350 member assembly. Both refuse to support Rajoy who is trying but not succeeding in forming a minority government.
The Socialists want to form a left-leaning government with Podemos, but Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez says that Podemos must drop its support for an independence referendum in Catalonia. Podemos is the only national party which supports it.
So far, Podemos has not budged on the issue. “The only way to defend the unity of our country is through democratic processes,” Iglesias said.
Although it backs a referendum, Podemos wants Catalonia to remain part of Spain.
Rajoy has met with all of the three leading parties, including Ciudadanos, but has not announced any outcomes.
Parliament reconvenes on 13 January. At some point shortly after it will hold a vote of confidence in the new prime minister. If a deadlock persists two months after the first vote, new elections must be called.
