Socialist Francina Armengol is congratulated on her election as President of the Spanish Parliament by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Her election could be a harbinger that Sánchez himself can muster a majority in the divided parliament and continue his government after July's election. Photo: Javier Soriano/Ritzau Scanpix
Spain
The lower house of the Spanish Parliament elected socialist Francina Armengol as the new Speaker of the Assembly on Thursday, reportedly that it could be a harbinger that Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will be able to secure support in the divided parliament to continue as head of government. This despite the fact that the conservative PP party received the most votes in last month’s election. In Thursday’s vote, Armengol received 178 of the parliament’s 350 votes. Decisive was the support of seven Catalan members of the independence party Junts per Catalunya. The party’s votes could determine whether Sanchez and his government can continue. /ritzau/Reuters/