Felipe, Spain’s king(maker) / Spain’s king picks socialist leader to try to form government

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Series Details 02.02.16
Publication Date 02/02/2016
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Over a month following the inconclusive general election in Spain on the 20 December 2015 the political parties were still attempting to secure an agreement to form a government.

On the 2 February 2016 the Spanish King Felipe nominated Socialist (PSOE)leader Pedro Sánchez to lead talks to try and form a new government.

On the 4 February 2016 Pedro Sánchez met with the leader of the head of new party Ciudadanos, Albert Rivera, which came fourth in the December 2015 election, and agreed to start negotiating a draft governing programme.

On the 5 February 2016 Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said he would not negotiate with the PSOE if they continued to talk with Ciudadanos, which he considered too right wing a party.

The Spanish Socialist Party PSOE put together a draft government programme on the 8 February 2016 in a bid to win enough support for its leader Pedro Sánchez to be voted in as new Prime Minister. The draft was only circulated to Podemos and Ciudadanos, and not to the Popular Party or Catalan separatist parties.

If no government could be formed by 2 March 2016, new elections would have to be held.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.politico.eu/article/felipe-spains-kingmaker-psoe-podemos-ciudadanos-pp/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Corruption case hits Rajoy’s chances of governing http://www.europeansources.info/record/corruption-case-hits-rajoys-chances-of-governing/
ESO: Key Source: Spanish general election, 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/spanish-general-election-2015/
El País, 01.02.16: Socialist leader readying deal in case king asks him to form government http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/01/inenglish/1454314588_229118.html
El País: Tag: Spanish Elections http://elpais.com/agr/spanish_elections/
The Guardian, 02.02.16: Spain's king picks socialist leader to try to form government http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/02/spains-king-picks-socialist-chief-to-try-to-form-government
El País, 02.02.16: 'The Socialists are ready to govern if Rajoy refuses,' Sánchez tells king http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/02/inenglish/1454417199_460105.html
Politico, 02.02.16: Spanish king asks Socialists to form government http://www.politico.eu/article/spains-socialists-ready-to-try-to-form-a-government/
The Local.es, 03.02.16: King asks Socialist leader to attempt to form government http://www.thelocal.es/20160203/king-asked-socialist-leader-to-form-a-government
Deutsche Welle, 02.02.16: Spain's King Felipe asks Sanchez to form government http://dw.com/p/1HoJx
EUObserver, 03.02.16: Spain: Socialist Sanchez trying to form government https://euobserver.com/political/132116
Politico, 03.02.16: 7 roadblocks to Pedro Sánchez becoming Spanish PM http://www.politico.eu/article/socialist-pedro-sanchez-obstacles-to-becoming-prime-minister/
Euro|Topics: Debates, 03.02.16: Socialist Sánchez tasked with forming government in Spain http://www.eurotopics.net/en/149649/socialist-sanchez-tasked-with-forming-government-in-spain
El País, 04.02.16: Socialist chief won’t negotiate with PP or separatists, but will meet with them http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/04/inenglish/1454574076_413595.html
El País, 04.02.16: Podemos would overtake Socialists at new election, voter poll shows http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/04/inenglish/1454589122_862306.html
El País, 04.02.16: PSOE and Ciudadanos agree to start negotiating government program http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/04/inenglish/1454598353_574026.html
BBC News, 05.02.16: Spain election: Podemos request sees talks deadlocked http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35502227
The Local.es, 05.02.16: Spanish government stuck in limbo as coalition talks stall http://www.thelocal.es/20160205/spain-in-limbo-as-coalition-talks-stall-politics
El País, 05.02.16: Socialists refuse to bow to Podemos’ demands over negotiations http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/05/inenglish/1454686165_156868.html
Politico, 07.02.16: Poll: Most Spaniards want Socialist, Ciudadanos coalition http://www.politico.eu/article/poll-most-spaniards-want-socialist-ciudadanos-coalition/
Blog: Open Europe, 09.02.16: Spanish Socialists face uphill struggle in bid to form new government http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/spanish-socialists-face-uphill-struggle-in-bid-to-form-new-government/
El País, 08.02.16: PSOE leaves territorial issues to one side in bid to close cross-party deals http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/08/inenglish/1454943596_857958.html
Deutsche Welle, 12.02.16: Spain's Socialist Sanchez rejects Rajoy as coalition partner http://dw.com/p/1Huik
El País, 12.02.16: Rajoy fails to shake Sánchez’s hand ahead of latest negotiations http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/12/inenglish/1455298591_422104.html
EurActiv, 19.02.16: Rajoy predicts new Spanish poll http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/rajoy-predicts-new-spanish-poll/
Politico, 18.02.16: Rajoy tells Cameron ‘Spanish elections likely on June 26′ http://www.politico.eu/article/mariano-rajoy-tells-david-cameron-spanish-elections-likely-in-june-prime-minister/
El País, 19.02.16: Rajoy to Cameron: Most likely there will be a new election on June 26 http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/19/inenglish/1455870918_424910.html
El País, 19.02.16: Ciudadanos offers to meet with PP as it pushes pact with Socialists http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/19/inenglish/1455895674_702022.html
The Local.es, 15.02.16: March 2nd: Socialist chief to seek approval to lead Spain http://www.thelocal.es/20160215/march-2nd-socialist-chief-to-seek-approval-to-lead-spain

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