Spain’s Socialists block PM’s bid to stay in power

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy suffered a setback in his bid to stay in office as the Socialists refused Wednesday to back his attempt to form a new government following an inconclusive general election. Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party won the most ballots in Sunday’s vote but lost its absolute majority in the 350-seat lower house of parliament, taking just 123. The opposition Socialists won 90 seats, followed by the far-left Podemos with 69 seats and the centre-right Ciudadanos with 40. Rajoy in January will face a vote of confidence on whether he can stay on as leader of the government.

We were clear: we will vote against the continuity of the Popular Party at the helm of the government, with Mariano Rajoy as prime minister.

Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez

With leftwing parties holding the balance of power in the new parliament, the Socialists could form a government by joining forces with Podemos and other smaller nationalist forces. That outcome would mirror events in neighboring Portugal where the ruling conservatives won an October election but fell to a Socialist government backed by leftist parties just days later.

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