Spain’s acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy accepted a mandate from King Felipe to seek parliament’s backing to form a new government and end over ten months of political deadlock, which is expected to happen on Sunday. The Socialist party agreed a last Sunday to abstain in the vote, allowing Rajoy to lead a minority government of his conservative Partido Popular.
King Felipe VI is concerned with Spain's political paralysis, a lawmaker who met him said as the monarch began a fourth round of talks with party representatives to try and agree on a government. Spain has been without a fully-functioning government for seven months after December elections failed to give any party an absolute parliamentary majority.
Spain's King Felipe VI signed the decree dissolving parliament following December's inconclusive general election. As no political parties were able to coalesce their support into a coalition government in time for the deadline, new elections will be held on June 26.
Spain will hold a repeat of national elections in June following the failure of a last-ditch effort by King Felipe VI to prod bickering Spanish politicians to form a new government. The King chose not to ask any candidates he interviewed this week to try to form a government and break a stalemate that has left Spain with a caretaker government in the wake of inconclusive elections in December.
Spain's King Felipe VI has removed the title of duchess from his sister Cristina ahead of a trial in which she stands accused of tax fraud charges, in a new move designed to distance the royal family from the case.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia on Wednesday welcomed Chilean President Michelle Bachelet at the start of her official visit to Spain, expected to center on economic cooperation.
Spain's new king, Felipe VI, was sworn on Thursday in a relatively modest ceremony which monarchists hope will usher in a new era of popularity for the troubled royal household.
Spain's crown prince will be proclaimed King Felipe VI on June 18 before Parliament in Madrid, legislative officials said Tuesday. The 46-year-old Felipe de Borbon, who currently holds the title of Prince of Asturias, will succeed his father, King Juan Carlos, who announced on Monday that he was abdicating.