How will power swap in Italy and Spain change EU balance?

Press quote (EU Observer)
Camino Mortera-Martinez
01 June 2018

"Spain is not going to be as problematic. Sanchez will try to show he can be a leader," said Camino Mortera-Martinez from the Centre for European Reform think-tank. She pointed out that the new Spanish leader saw himself as a caretaker prime minister, whose priorities will be to repeal some of Rajoy's laws on freedom of expression and social rights, and to enable dialogue with Catalonia.On Europe, she said, "we can expect a lot of continuity. Rajoy's Popular Party and Sanchez's PSOE have the same views on the way Spain should play a role in Europe."

...Could Sanchez, a fresh-faced 46-year old succeeding a worn-out and lacklustre Rajoy, be a new Emmanuel Macron on the EU scene, by analogy with the youthful French leader? "Europe is not his main priority," Mortera-Martinez said. She said that contrary to the French president, the new Spanish leader has not won strong support through an election and that his leadership was also disputed by an old-guard within his party.