The Party of European Socialists welcomes the election of Pedro Sánchez, from our Spanish party PSOE, as the new prime minister of Spain. We look forward to his government forming a credible alternative to a conservative government hounded by corruption.

 

PES president Sergei Stanishev said:

 

"We warmly welcome the election of Pedro Sánchez, a progressive and honest pro-European, to lead the next government of Spain. He will shift away from the austerity policies of the past years in his country and we are confident that, together with our political family, he will contribute to ending austerity at the European level as well.

 

"I would like to congratulate Pedro personally. I am looking forward to working with him and welcoming him in Brussels."

 

PES secretary general Achim Post added:

 

"The conservative government of Rajoy has been brought down by its own corruption. The new prime minister Pedro Sánchez represents the chance for a new start in Spain and in Europe."

 

Notes for editors

• All 28 EU member states are represented by their progressive parties at the PES, which brings together 34 socialist, social democratic, labour and democratic parties as full members. Together with 12 associate parties and 12 observer parties from outside the EU, we fight for a better and more progressive Europe.
• The current president of the PES is Sergei Stanishev.
• The Socialists & Democrats Group is the parliamentary group of the PES.