Pedro Sánchez pledges his office as PM before Spain's King Felipe VI

Pedro Sánchez has pledged his office as prime minister before King Felipe VI in a ceremony held in the Audience Hall of the Zarzuela Palace this Friday morning (17 November) prior to the publication of the royal decree announcing his appointment in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

The PSOE leader did so in front of a copy of the constitution, opened at article 99 (which describes the procedure of the appointment). No religious symbols were on display, as on the two previous occasions on which Sánchez promised his office before the king, in June 2018 and January 2020.

The solemn act was held a day after Pedro Sánchez was re-elected prime minister of the government after winning the support of 179 MPs in the first vote of the investiture session held on Thursday in the congress of deputies. Sánchez had the backing of the 121 PSOE MPs, the 31 of Sumar, the seven of ERC, the seven of Junts, the six of Bildu, the five of PNV, one from BNG and one from Coalición Canaria. The coalition of eight parties will make it the largest coalition government in history. The other 171 deputies in Congress voted against, 137 from the PP, 33 from Vox and one from UPN.

Following the pledge, there was a small meeting between those attending the ceremony. Pedro Sánchez took an interest in the monarch's hand, who is suffering from tendonitis in his left wrist, which has forced him to wear a bandage for weeks.

The next step for Pedro Sánchez will be to announce the members of his new cabinet; he has not yet specified when he will do so. What seems clear is that he will announce the list of his ministers in the next few hours or days in order to be able to hold the first cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

At the swearing in, the head of the Ministry of justice acted as notary major, other authorities also took part such as the president of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary, the president of the Constitutional Court and the presidents of congress and the senate.