Vote for Spanish Congress speaker boosts Sánchez’s premiership hopes

PSOE candidate, Francina Armengol, elected as speaker after winning support of smaller Basque and Catalan nationalist parties

Pedro Sanchez's hopes of securing another term as Spain's prime minister have received a boost after his Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE) secured the support of Catalan nationalists to help it win the first key parliamentary vote since last month's inconclusive general election.

Although it was narrowly beaten by the conservative People's party (PP) in the election - which resulted in a hung parliament - the PSOE did far better than expected and has the edge on its opponents when it comes to forging alliances to create a coalition government.