Expatriate vote count deals blow to socialists' government formation

Spain's Socialists have lost one seat after the count of votes from abroad, making it more difficult for them to form a left-wing coalition government without the active support of hardline Catalan separatists. The revised seat count means that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would need the backing of Junts, a more hardline Catalan party, in addition to Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, to secure a majority. The PP could potentially form a government with the support of Vox and other regional parties, but no other parties have expressed willingness to support an administration that includes Vox. The Canarian Coalition has not yet decided if it will support Sanchez. Junts has stated its conditions for support, including permission to hold a referendum on Catalan independence and amnesty for separatists facing legal charges.