From leading an unexpected coalition to facing international and domestic challenges, Pedro Sánchez has shown exceptional tenacity. However, he now faces an uncertain electoral scenario as he fights to stay in power.
Nicknamed “El guapo”, Pedro Sánchez has given up prematurely more than once in his relatively short but eventful political career. Despite facing adversity, he has shown surprising resilience and an ability to surprise everyone and everyone.
From opposition leader to prime minister
A native of Madrid, former basketball player and economics professor, Sánchez, 51, has achieved the unexpected. He led an insurgent movement within the PSOE to return to power as the party’s secretary general in 2017 and, a year later, successfully led Spain’s first successful vote of no confidence to oust his conservative predecessor and assume the office of prime minister.
Challenges and achievements in power
To stay in power, Sánchez had to form a radical left-wing coalition in 2019, marking the country’s first coalition government in nearly half a century of democratic rule. Despite criticism and difficulties, he has shown strength in formulating policies, negotiating agreements and making difficult decisions.
Sánchez on the international stage
Fluent in English, Sánchez raised Spain’s profile in Brussels, where he is a staunch supporter of the EU and an ally of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, despite the fact that she belongs to European conservatives. He responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe, an aggressive aid package to help people keep their jobs and a campaign that made Spain the world leader in vaccination rates.
Current challenges and uncertain future
However, Sánchez faces current challenges, including an uncertain electoral scenario. If the conservative Popular Party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo wins a majority of the votes and forms a coalition with the far-right party Vox, Sánchez’s government would be at risk. Critics also accuse him of appeasing separatists in Catalonia and the Basque Country to win their support in Parliament.
