Election race begins

General election to be held on April 28 - a month before local and EU ballots

SPANIARDS have been once again called to the general election stations following last week's political turmoil.

PM Pedro Sánchez announced last Friday morning that the vote will be held on April 28 - just a month before the local, regional and EU elections on May 26.

It was the PM himself who launched the campaign even before the date was given, as the announcement came after a 15-minute introduction listing all the achievements of the short-lived current PSOE government.

But the rest of the parties where quick off the mark and within two hours all major players had held press conferences to say they were out to win.

As reported in last week's CBNews, the PM had been forced into calling the election after the very parties who helped him oust PP predecessor Mariano Rajoy in the June vote of no-confidence, namely Catalan separatists ERC and PdCat, withdrew their support for the 2019 budget and left Sr Sanchez with the election as the only honourable way out.

Red lines drawn

Ciudadanos central committee unanimously voted on Monday that they will not reach any agreement with the PSOE party regardless of the outcome on April 28

Party number 2 José Manuel Villegas was adamant: "Not a single Ciudadanos vote will be used to make Pedro Sánchez PM again."

Coincidentally, Ciudadanos refused to reach any agreement with the PSOE before the last general election, however they were the first to do so after - albeit it did not reap sufficient support to invest Sr Sanchez as PM and eventually Ciudadanos sided with Mariano Rajoy and the PP party.

Of course, the PP also rules out all the 'lefties' and nationalists. Its leader Pablo Casado is calling for a 'useful vote' for the PP which he has already announced 'will re-apply Article 155 more severely in Cataluña."

Article 155 of the constitution was used by the previous PP government under Rajoy to temporarily eliminate the regional government and establish direct rule from Madrid in the aftermath of the October 1 2017 illegal referendum that was followed by an unilateral independence proclamation.

Further to the right stand Vox, which has feasted on the votes of disenchanted PP voters who wanted the party to be more heavy-handed.

Vox's popularity soared in the Andalucia election in December and it could be the key for a right-wing government if the same agreement reached in the southern region is applied after the general elections.

Candidate and singer

On a lighter note, the gossip columns have been filled this week by Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera after it was revealed he is in a new relationship with famous Spanish singer Malú - also known for her role as coach in The Voice on Spanish TV.

Rivera broke up with his former partner late last year.