The Spanish prime minister’s office says Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to announce Friday whether he will call an early election after his government lost a key budget vote. –By Aritz Parra——2:45 p.m.Spain’s opposition is urging Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call an early election as soon as possible after his government’s budget was defeated in a key parliamentary vote. Catalan separatist lawmakers joined Spain’s centre-right and conservative opposition parties in voting against Sanchez’s budget plan. ——10:10 a.m.Spain’s prime minister could be forced to call an early general election if Catalan separatists reject, as expected, the minority socialist government’s 2019 budget in a crucial parliamentary vote. But Sanchez’s socialist party holds only 84 seats in the 350-seat lower house.

Source: National Post February 13, 2019 10:34 UTC