Last Sunday, Spain’s Socialist leaders reversed their 10 month long efforts to block conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s reelection when they informed their representatives to abstain from a Parliamentary vote considering his candidacy. These abstentions deprive the larger opposition of having enough votes to impede his reelection. If the vote failed to support Rajoy, a third, December election would have been called to elect an entirely new government, meaning a new Prime Minister and all new members of parliament. Socialist leaders stated the fear of losing more seats primarily motivated their surrender.
