Joe Duggan (Reporter)
PP leader Mariano Rajoy is meeting the leaders of Podemos and Ciudadanos today as talks over Spain’s political future resume.
The acting president is holding discussions with Pablo Iglesias and Albert Rivera as he tries to form a coalition government following the December 20 general election.
The PP won 123 seats and are 53 short of an absolute majority.
Iglesias, whose party won 69 seats, is expected to reject outright any possibility of going into power with the PP.
“I will explain to him the position of our country,” said Iglesias. “It is not compatible with the PP continuing to govern.”
However, Iglesias hasn’t confirmed how he would try to form an alternative majority.
His support for the Socialist PSOE is conditional on Catalunya being granted a referendum on independence.
The PSOE and Ciudadanos both reject such a referendum.
Meanwhile, in Catalunya the far-left CUP party has failed to back Artur Mas as the region’s president.
The party’s members voted 1,515 for and 1,515 against re-electing Mas as leader in the Catalan parliament.
The assembly has until January 9 to appoint a new president or new regional elections will be called.
