Despite the fact that during his reign he has already experienced several unprecedented and historical situations, Philip VI He faced, once again, an unexplored trance. A round of consultations with two candidates with the intention of going to the investiture. So much Alberto Núñez Feijóo as Pedro Sanchez They went to Zarzuela yesterday with the message of being willing to be candidates for Prime Minister. The King, again in a complex role, strengthened the institutional framework that presides over his reign and chose to propose Alberto Núñez Feijóo as a candidate, who will be the one who must submit to the confidence of the Chamber.
«I have shown my willingness…», he told him feijóo to the Monarch. “I have transferred my disposition…”, Sánchez explained to him. The two appeared before the King with a promise of majority, claiming their right, but neither was certain of it. Expectations, while the King needed certainties. In fact, this lack of specification of the support of the candidates is highlighted by the King in the statement he made public after his decision: «In the consultation procedure carried out by His Majesty the King, it has not been verified, to date today, the existence of a sufficient majority for the inauguration” that alters the “custom” of proposing the candidate with the most votes. That is to say, the Monarch was not convinced by the approach of Sánchez that “only a parliamentary majority can articulate around the PSOE.”
With one more condition. In the round of consultations held by the King, the pro-independence formations of Bildu, ERC and Junts -the PNV does attend-. Therefore, he does not know out loud, first-hand, the position and approach of these parties, even though Sánchez told him that he believes it is possible to articulate a majority around his figure. And that is also stated by the King, who does not know the position of all the parties: “The representatives of the political groups with parliamentary representation who have appeared in the procedure have exposed to His Majesty the King the meaning of their parliamentary support.” Those who have not gone have not exposed him and, therefore, he does not know him.
There were no surprises, despite weeks of uncertainty, pools, and even statements with the background of trying to condition the decision, because both candidates have made public statements in which they were running as the only option to be appointed. Felipe VI was faithful to his trajectory and preserved the institutionality that he has cultivated: the last political leader to leave Zarzuela in a round of consultations, for being the most voted for, does so with the band of candidate for the Presidency of Congress . “Everyone knows that it will be a failed investiture”was the dart that the leader of the PSOE threw before the decision was made official.
Sánchez made Feijóo ugly his purpose of wanting to go to the investiture because, he said, this “is not an exhibition procedure.” But neither is the round of consultations an “exhibition” for the King or for the candidates, but a procedure regulated in the Constitution with which an attempt is made to provide normality and gear to political and parliamentary life.