Right-wing and Catalan separatist lawmakers have rejected a draft 2019 budget. The move could force Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call snap elections. The government relies on two small Catalan pro-independence parties to pass legislation. They have so far rejected the budget and said they were open to negotiate if the government promised them a dialogue on the right to self-determination, but that right is prohibited by the Spanish Constitution. And as Spain's minority Socialist government refused to negotiate Catalan self-determination, it now plans to call an early general election in April following the budget defeat. Daniel Lacalle, chief economist at Spanish investment management firm Tressis in London, joined the discussion from London.

#Spain #SpainBudget #SpainEconomy