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| Spain rivals weigh coalition options in post-election talks | Spain rivals weigh coalition options in post-election talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is meeting Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez for exploratory talks on forming a coalition government. | |
| The new liberal Ciudadanos (Citizens) party, which came fourth in Sunday's election, now wants a "pact" with them. | The new liberal Ciudadanos (Citizens) party, which came fourth in Sunday's election, now wants a "pact" with them. |
| Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera said they would exclude left-wing Podemos, "which wants to break Spain up". | Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera said they would exclude left-wing Podemos, "which wants to break Spain up". |
| Podemos, unlike the others, backs the Catalan nationalists' call for a referendum on independence from Spain. | Podemos, unlike the others, backs the Catalan nationalists' call for a referendum on independence from Spain. |
| Spain is braced for weeks of tough negotiations, after the election left the country's politics fragmented, with the two new parties - Ciudadanos and Podemos (meaning "we can") - making a big impact. | Spain is braced for weeks of tough negotiations, after the election left the country's politics fragmented, with the two new parties - Ciudadanos and Podemos (meaning "we can") - making a big impact. |
| Mr Rajoy's conservative Popular Party (PP) got 123 seats - far short of the 176 minimum needed to govern alone. | Mr Rajoy's conservative Popular Party (PP) got 123 seats - far short of the 176 minimum needed to govern alone. |
| For decades the Socialists (PSOE) and PP alternated in government. | For decades the Socialists (PSOE) and PP alternated in government. |
| The Rajoy-Sanchez talks got under way at government headquarters, Madrid's Moncloa Palace. | |
| The PSOE got 90 seats - its worst result in recent history - while Podemos got 69 and Ciudadanos 40. | The PSOE got 90 seats - its worst result in recent history - while Podemos got 69 and Ciudadanos 40. |
| The PSOE is against Mr Rajoy leading Spain's next government. The PP's result was its worst since 1989. | The PSOE is against Mr Rajoy leading Spain's next government. The PP's result was its worst since 1989. |
| Mr Rajoy insists that any coalition partner must work for the unity of Spain. He is firmly opposed to any Catalan referendum on independence. | Mr Rajoy insists that any coalition partner must work for the unity of Spain. He is firmly opposed to any Catalan referendum on independence. |
| Influential deputy | Influential deputy |
| Mr Rajoy's deputy, 44-year-old Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, has emerged as a powerful figure, and appeared on the PP's campaign posters. | Mr Rajoy's deputy, 44-year-old Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, has emerged as a powerful figure, and appeared on the PP's campaign posters. |
| She took part in the first two election debates on TV, after Mr Rajoy decided not to take part. Some see her as a potential replacement for him as PP leader. | She took part in the first two election debates on TV, after Mr Rajoy decided not to take part. Some see her as a potential replacement for him as PP leader. |
| The PP's vote took a battering because of a party funding scandal and widespread anger over economic austerity. Spain's 21% unemployment rate remains one of the highest in Europe, and inequality grew after the financial crisis. | The PP's vote took a battering because of a party funding scandal and widespread anger over economic austerity. Spain's 21% unemployment rate remains one of the highest in Europe, and inequality grew after the financial crisis. |
| The election result was seen as a rejection of traditional Spanish politics, dominated by the PP and PSOE since the nationalist dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975. | The election result was seen as a rejection of traditional Spanish politics, dominated by the PP and PSOE since the nationalist dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975. |
| There is speculation that a left-wing coalition government could be formed - along the lines of neighbouring Portugal. But there are serious divisions between the PSOE and Podemos - and together they would still be short of a majority. They might have to woo small leftist parties in the Basque Country and Catalonia. | There is speculation that a left-wing coalition government could be formed - along the lines of neighbouring Portugal. But there are serious divisions between the PSOE and Podemos - and together they would still be short of a majority. They might have to woo small leftist parties in the Basque Country and Catalonia. |
| Doing the post-election sums: | Doing the post-election sums: |