Pedro Sánchez sworn in for new four-year term as Spanish Prime Minister

(Patria) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was sworn in on the constitution in the presence of King Felipe VI, a day after receiving parliamentary support for a new four-year term.

Sánchez, a 51-year-old socialist, took the oath without religious symbols, just as in 2018 and 2020, when he also did not speak before the Bible and cross as the newly appointed prime minister.

- I promise, by my conscience and honor, to faithfully fulfill the duties of the office of President of the Government, to be loyal to the King, and to uphold and ensure the upholding of the Constitution as the fundamental norm of the state, as well as to maintain the secrecy of deliberations in the Council of Ministers - said the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), who added the word "ministers" (feminine form) to the standard oath text.

He exchanged only a few words with King Felipe VI upon arrival at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela near Madrid, reported Spanish public television TVE, as carried by Hina.

Counting on Catalans

Sánchez will head a minority government in coalition with the left-wing Sumar, with which he has a total of 152 deputies in the 350-seat parliament.

To pass laws, he will count on the support of deputies from regional parties of Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, and the Canary Islands, who on Thursday supported the new government.

Prometo, por mi conciencia y honor, cumplir fielmente con las obligaciones del cargo de presidente del Gobierno, con lealtad al Rey, y guardar y hacer guardar la Constitución como norma fundamental del Estado, así como mantener el secreto de las deliberaciones del Consejo de… pic.twitter.com/RS4bxv36J8

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 17, 2023

Parties advocating for the independence of Catalonia, an autonomous region of 7.5 million inhabitants in the northeast, stated that their support will last as long as Sánchez fulfills everything he promised them.

This primarily refers to the Amnesty Law, which would halt judicial proceedings against several hundred people who, over the past ten years, participated in organizing and conducting the banned independence referendum in 2017.

Poll results

About 52 percent of Catalans support remaining within Spain, while 41 percent want independence, according to a poll published on Friday by the Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió (CEO), a public opinion research center under the Catalan government.

The survey was based on interviews with 2,000 people conducted between October 9 and November 7, before the content of the Amnesty Law and the pact between the separatist party Together for Catalonia (JxCAT) and Sánchez's PSOE were published.

The percentage of Catalans publicly advocating for independence has remained roughly at the same level since June 2022, according to previous polls by this center.

However, 73 percent of Catalans believe that Catalonia has the right to decide on its future through a referendum.

Sánchez rejects the idea of holding a referendum, emphasizing that it is not allowed by the Constitutional Court, i.e., it is not in accordance with the Spanish constitution.

It is currently unknown which ministers from the previous government Sánchez will retain, but among them should be Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, reported Spanish news agency EFE, citing unnamed sources from the PSOE and the government.

Albares, in his role as foreign minister, is announced as a participant in the annual forum of foreign ministers of the Union for the Mediterranean, to be held on November 27 in Barcelona.

Spain, which holds the presidency of the European Union until January, is one of the 43 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean.