Spain, Eurozone’s fourth-largest economy, is facing more turmoil as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calls an election just nine months after taking office. Sánchez called a snap election for April 28 after failing to pass his Budget bill. The prime minister’s refusal to discuss independence for Catalonia angered separatist MPs who vetoed his finance plans.

Divisions were highlighted when 12 Catalan separatist leaders and activists went on trial accused of rebellion and sedition over their unrecognised independence referendum in 2017. According to a “poll of polls” from the Spanish daily El País, the Socialist Party (PSOE) of Pedro Sánchez would win the election, but fading support for its leftwing ally, Podemos, would leave it short of seats to form a government.

 
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