Members of acting PM Pedro Sanchez's centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) have approved a draft agreement to form a governing coalition with the left-wing Sumar and potentially pro-Catalan independence parties as well. In the result of a week-long vote announced on 4 Nov, 87% of PSOE members and 85% of members of its Catalan branch the PSC backed the agreement with Sumar. By approving the deal, party members also agreed to approve any deal reached with other parties required to back Sanchez in an investiture vote.

• This approval could pave the path to a successful investiture vote for Sanchez, which would reduce political uncertainty at least in the short term.
• Talks are still ongoing between the PSOE and the pro-Catalan independence Junts. Sanchez's party reached a deal with the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) involving an amnesty for those convicted of involvement in the illegal 2017 independence referendum. However, Junts' demands regarding the amnesty, as well as a path to a future referendum, appear to be more difficult for the PSOE to agree to.
• Sanchez must be successful in an investiture vote in parliament before 27 Nov or snap elections will be called.