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Spain’s Socialist leader tapped to try to form government Spain’s Socialist leader tapped to try to form government
(35 minutes later)
MADRID — Spain’s king has tapped Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez to try to form a government following an inconclusive December election in which the country’s conservative Popular Party came in first but didn’t win enough support to cobble together a coalition. MADRID — Spain’s king on Tuesday tapped Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez to try to form a government following an inconclusive December election in which the country’s conservative Popular Party came in first but failed in more than a month of efforts to drum up enough support for a coalition or a minority government.
Parliamentary speaker Patxi Lopez told reporters Tuesday night that King Felipe VI made the decision after meeting with Sanchez and with acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who heads the Popular Party. King Felipe VI made the decision after meeting with Sanchez and with acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who heads the Popular Party, parliamentary speaker Patxi Lopez told reporters.
Sanchez must now try to negotiate with two new upstart parties who made big inroads with voters upset with austerity, high unemployment and official corruption. Sanchez now faces the difficult task of trying to negotiate with two new upstart parties who made big inroads with voters upset with austerity, high unemployment and official corruption.
The Popular Party and the Socialists have alternately ruled Spain for decades, but far-left Podemos came in third in the Dec. 20 election and the business-friendly Ciudadanos came in fourth. The election smashed Spain’s traditional two-party system in which the Popular Party and the Socialists have alternated running Spain for decades. The Popular Party won the most votes this time but got only 123 seats in the 350-member lower house of parliament, losing the absolute majority it held since 2011.
The far-left Podemos came in third in the Dec. 20 election and the business-friendly Ciudadanos came in fourth — robbing votes and seats from Socialists and the Popular Party.
Rajoy had proposed forming a so-called grand coalition with the Socialists and Ciudadanos, but Sanchez ruled out any deal with the Popular Party and Rajoy.
Negotiating a governing deal won’t be easy for Sanchez. Among the biggest hurdles he faces is a pledge by Podemos to allow voters in the northeastern Catalonia region to hold a referendum on seceding from Spain.
The Socialists are strongly opposed to permitting separatists from holding a secession referendum.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.