Does Spain’s leftish leader have his far-left allies under control?

A YEAR AGO Pedro Sánchez embarked on a political experiment. After two indecisive elections, he swallowed his previous qualms and formed Spain’s first coalition government since the 1930s, between his Socialists and Podemos, a hard-left party. Within weeks, this minority administration was faced with the pandemic, which has hit Spain especially hard. Yet it survived. Last month Mr Sánchez secured parliamentary approval for a budget, the first since he came to office in 2018. Spanish budgets can be rolled over, so the government now has a chance of serving out its term, which lasts until 2023. But in a country where politics is deeply polarised, the coalition will not have an easy ride.