Spain's king begins meeting parties to form new government

King of Spain, Felipe VI, on Monday began consultations with the country's political parties with a view to forming a new government.

The Royal Household issued a statement with a list of the seven political parties that are meeting with the king over the next two days.

Conservative opposition People's Party (PP) of Alberto Nunez Feijoo beat acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) in July's general election. The two leaders are the last two politicians scheduled to meet with the king on Tuesday.

It will then be up to the king to nominate one of the two to form a new government, although neither has enough support from other smaller parties to establish a governing coalition.

Socialists have the advantage

While the PSOE finished second in the polls, the party is considered to be in a better position due to it having more prospective partners.

Last week, Spanish lawmakers elected Francina Armengol, an ally of the caretaker prime minister, as speaker of Spain's parliament.

Armengol who is the former leader of the Balearic Islands region, where Catalan is widely spoken, received a majority of 178 votes in the 350-seat chamber.

Sanchez hopes he can also use the Catalan separatist parties' support in an investiture vote to form a new government.

Feijoo, on the other hand, needs the support of smaller regional parties, but even with the backing of the far-right Vox party who only won 33 seats, the PP will fall short of the 176 votes candidates need in the lower house.

If no government can be formed, another general election will have to be held at the end of the year.

kb/jcg (dpa, AFP)