United Left votes to decide fate of Asturias PSOE coalition

The 4,000-strong voting membership of the United Left (IU) went to the polls on Thursday afternoon to ratify a coalition government that would rule in tandem with the Socialists in Asturias. Javier Fernández of the regional Socialist Party (PSOE) was sworn in as premier on Wednesday after finally reaching an agreement with the IU and the single deputy from the centrist UPyD grouping to form a government, two months after regional elections took place on March 25.

Two blocs emerged from the March vote: the Socialists and the IU on one side, and the Asturias Citizens Forum (FAC), headed by outgoing regional premier Francisco Álvarez-Cascos, and the Popular Party on the other. Both factions secured 22 seats in the regional assembly, leaving the lone UPyD deputy with the key to an overall majority for Fernández.

With the support of the UPyD member, Fernández’s coalition was able to bring to a close Álvarez-Cascos’ 12-month reign as regional premier. Fernández said that one of his first priorities will be to ask Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro for more time to put together a plan for cutbacks, in line with the central government’s drive to slash expenditure in Spain’s regions.

The IU voters went to the polls at 4.30pm, with a decision due around 11.30pm on Thursday night. Fernández opted to cede two departments to the IU ahead of the ballot: social welfare and housing and agriculture. The IU coordinator in Asturias, Jesús Iglesias, called on his party to back entry into the coalition to be able to “condition” policies in the region.