Election: Conservatives win, but without majority

Spain’s Socialist Party has rejected proposals to form a grand coalition with the Popular Party (PP), which won most seats in Spain’s repeat election. The Socialists came second, left-wing Unidos Podemos were third and centre-right Ciudadanos came fourth. The vote has failed to break six months of political deadlock since December’s inconclusive poll. Acting Prime […]

Spain’s Socialist Party has rejected proposals to form a grand coalition with the Popular Party (PP), which won most seats in Spain’s repeat election.
The Socialists came second, left-wing Unidos Podemos were third and centre-right Ciudadanos came fourth.
The vote has failed to break six months of political deadlock since December’s inconclusive poll.
Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the PP has said the result gives him the right to resume office.
The PP won more votes than at the previous election, but still did not have enough to form a majority government.
Mr Rajoy said that in the absence of a stable coalition, the government would be forced to govern “day by day”.
Official results gave the PP 137 seats in the 350-seat parliament, up 15 from the 122 it won in the December ballot.