In his first meeting with an opposition leader since the April 28 national election Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with Pablo Casado (PP) on Monday where, during a 90 minute discussion, the pair spoke about future legislation regarding issues such as pensions, gender-based violence and national security.
Despite losing heavily the Partido Popular still remain the leading opposition force in the Spanish Parliament so it was right and proper that Casado was the first party leader to be invited to La Moncloa.
The two politicians also agreed to open up a permanent communication channel on the issue of Catalonia, where the independence drive has deeply divided the region, a move that just 2 weeks ago, would have been unthinkable.
However, the PP defeat has meant revising many of their policies to bring them more in line with public opinion and whilst the parties have little common ground on the Catalonia question the Spanish population is increasingly demanding that the two leaders commit to keep discussing the Catalan crisis.
Casado said that his party will not allow Sanchez to make any concessions to the Catalan Separatists but he did not insist on a reintroduction of the special constitutional powers.
Today, Tuesday, Sanchez will continue his discussions with opposition leaders as he attempts form a National government. He will meet with Ciudadanos leader Rivera and with Podemos chief Pablo Iglesias, who is widely expected to support Sánchez’s bid for a new term in La Moncloa.
