Less than a month before the King signs the decree calling for new general elections, no sign of a viable government can be seen on the horizon. The parties have let August run, after the failed vote of investiture of Pedro Sánchez, naturally and practically idle, taking advantage and adding to the vacation break of the Spaniards. Outside the party guerrilla, the conclusion that any citizen can reach is clear. If Spain is moving towards electoral repetition, it is because political leaders have failed in their task. Everyone says they don't want elections, but none of them have worked hard enough to avoid them.

During the unprecedented and extravagant negotiations for the failed investiture that led the PSOE and Unidos Podemos, Pedro Sánchez warned: "September does not exist." The acting president did not contemplate submitting to a second investiture after the King's assignment expired. A month later, the socialist leader continues on that. Although September does exist. It will arrive within a few days, the school and labor course will begin, but not the political course, which continues in limbo. We arrive in September without Moncloa or Galapagar - the only political command centers that could light a government - seem willing to open a negotiation worthy of the name. Not even for a slit.

"We can not guarantee a viable government"

Pedro Sánchez, who has killed time in meetings with different associations and plans to continue doing so for at least another week, I could say it louder to United We can but not clearer. He will not preside over a coalition government, even to avoid other elections. The sources close to the acting president warn that the only possibility that exists to avoid the call goes through the resignation of United We can to the Government of coalition. «The stage of a possible effective and stable coalition has passed into another life. It is not possible, it was clear on the last day of the investiture session in July. United We can not guarantee a viable or stable government. It is not possible because of a deep, deep question, for historical reasons, for reasons of State and for the attitude of the leaders of that party. What they raise, and they have done it again in the last document, are two governments in one. This is my Government, and this is yours. It is an unfeasible approach. There is the Italian example, a government that has lasted 15 months ».

The Socialists consider that their arguments against the Coalition Government are reinforced by some actions of United We, in relation to the Open Arms crisis - the purple party has asked for explanations and responsibilities to the partner with whom it intends to negotiate a Government - the protests against the G-7 - in which Pedro Sánchez participates - of Podemos leaders.

Pablo Iglesias, who has taken the trouble to prepare a 110-page document to try to put Sánchez in a bust before the arrival of September, also shows no sign of being willing to resign from the Coalition Government, after he has already resigned to be part of that Executive himself. The presentation of this document for negotiation, together with an interview by Iglesias himself in Antena 3, has had little political trajectory. The political debate expired in hours, once the Socialists received the proposal with a bang.

«The possibility of government and the avoidance of elections is in the hands of Pablo Iglesias. He faces a dilemma, and it is he who has the last word. Or it allows a government like the previous one, through a programmatic agreement PSOE-United We can, with sufficient guarantees, or the political situation is resolved in a new electoral call », state government sources say.

Do you give up 'in extremis'?

The socialist leadership appreciates the elections as inevitable, although some collaborators of the president believe that if Pablo Iglesias resigns from the coalition there is still a loophole to avoid the call. «Iglesias could resign in extremis and present himself as the leader who saved Spain from electoral repetition, it is a story that would work for him».

What has not worked for the PSOE is the attempt to introduce some division wedge in United Podemos and its confluences. The requirement of a coalition government is now shared - at least publicly - by all sectors of the party.

The gap between the PSOE and United We, far from narrowing after the frustrated investiture, has widened in that month. And is that distrust, admitted publicly and expressly without too many hot cloths by Pedro Sánchez and Pablo Iglesias, is a stumbling block on which there is no possible negotiation. Mutual distrust cannot be resolved at a table full of documents. Either you trust the other, or not. And in this case it is not. Pablo Iglesias shows no sign of being willing to resign from the coalition government. "What neither we nor any other political formation can accept is a swallow," says the direction of Unidos Podemos in a letter sent to its bases.

While this happens on the left, in the center-right they wait to see them coming. PP and Citizens make it clear that governance is not their business. Albert Rivera has taken a whole month on vacation without appearing in public and Pablo Casado has been idling. Although before they took advantage of the summer to equip themselves with faithful fighters before the foreseeable new electoral battle of autumn. There is little doubt in the PP and Citizens that the elections will be repeated. Casado and Rivera remodeled their command teams with loyal leaders, not only to their parties, but to their respective people. The leader of the PP appointed Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo parliamentary spokesperson - contrary to the criteria of the majority of the regional presidents of the PP - and vice secretary of communication to the journalist Pablo Montesinos . This last case is extremely original and groundbreaking in the culture of any party. This is a vice secretary of the PP who was not affiliated with the PP at the time of his appointment. Pablo Casado has imposed marriage without apparent difficulties. Rivera did the same with riverism before taking the most generous vacation break of all the leaders, incorporating the leader of Citizens to signings of proven personal fidelity to the leader as Marcos de Quinto . The former businessman guarantees a fighting attitude, although he still has to stop it a little if he does not want to go out to daily political disgust.

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  • United We Can
  • PP
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Pablo Iglesias
  • PSOE
  • Citizens
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  • Pablo Casado
  • Open arms
  • Pablo Montesinos
  • We can
  • Fifth frames
  • Italy
  • Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo
  • Albert rivera

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