Government formation talks nationwide broke down after Sánchez 's failed investiture attempt in early March 2016 . On 28 March , the PSOE leadership race was postponed indefinitely until a new government was appointed , due to increasing odds for a fresh election being called for 26 June . The party 's performance in the eventual 2016 general election , where it narrowly avoided being decisively overcame by the Unidos Podemos coalition , only temporarily called off criticism from party critics . Serious setbacks in the Basque and Galician elections held on 25 September , which had been turned by dissenters into an electoral test of Sánchez , prompted immediate calls for resignation among his opponents , unleashing a party crisis which weakened Sánchez 's standing and indicated a loss of support for him within the party . Sánchez refused to step down and instead proposed to have the congress held immediately , scheduling it for 12 and 13 November and the primary election for 23 October , while daring his critics to challenge him in a back-me-or-sack-me vote . This move enraged his opponents , who subsequently forced the resignation of half of the party 's executive committee on 28 September in order to trigger Sánchez 's downfall . Sánchez did not acknowledge his ouster and sought to keep his promise of an autumn congress , resulting in the party being openly split into two opposing factions , as critics no longer recognized Sánchez 's legitimacy to act as Secretary General . In a troubled federal committee held on 1 October , Sánchez finally resigned as party leader after losing a key ballot on his congress ' proposal by 132 votes to 107 . A caretaker managing committee headed by Asturias President Javier Fernández was appointed to lead the party until the party congress to elect a new leadership could be organized
Government formation talks
2015–16 Spanish government formation
2017 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party leadership election