Spain is supposed to hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council between July and December.
If anything, Pedro Sánchez knows how to gamble.
Throughout his five years at the helm of the Spanish government, the socialist prime minister has built a reputation for taking bold, ambitious decisions with little input besides his own political instinct.
The steamrolling leadership has garnered the admiration of his followers, who see him as an unwavering champion of progressive causes, and the profound contempt of his adversaries, who have dubbed the term “Sanchismo” to describe his assertive, personality-driven way of governing.
Although surprising at first sight, Sánchez’s move to call a snap general election after his party’s poor performance at last week’s local and regional polls fits neatly into the pattern of defiant policy-making that has long characterized his premiership.
By doing so, the PM is directly asking his fellow citizens to choose between his left-wing coalition and a possible conservative executive supported by the far-right, a binary dilemma that he hopes will galvanise the electorate.
Source: Euronews