King starts third round of talks to avert new elections in Spain

King Felipe VI of Spain begins a third round of consultations with the leaders of Spain's political parties on Monday with the aim of trying to avoid a new general election which is beginning to look increasingly inevitable.

The talks begin four months after the Dec. 20 election brought about a hung parliament and a series of discussions between leaders which have failed to bring a coalition government.

If no government would be approved by the 350-seat Congress by midnight on May 2, then the Spanish Constitution says Congress will be dissolved and a new election be called for June 26.

The leaders of all of the parties with seats in Congress, with the exception of the Catalan and Basque nationalist parties, Republican Left and Bildu, will meet the king.

Monday morning sees the king hold meetings with the New Canary Island party, Asturian Forum, Canary Island Coalition and Popular Union of Navarre.

In the afternoon he is scheduled to meet United Left, the Basque Nationalist Party, Democracy and Freedom (Catalan nationalists) and En Marea, who have close ties with left wing party, Podemos.

Podemos' leader Pablo Iglesias is among those who will talk to Felipe on Tuesday, along with the leaders of Compromis and En Comu Podem (also linked to his party), while Citizen's leader Albert Rivera, Socialist, Pedro Sanchez and action Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy of the People's Party will be the last people to meet the King.

Jan. 17 saw Rajoy reject the offer to try and form a government, alleging that with 123 seats the PP did not have the support to win an investiture vote.

Although Sanchez did try and form a government and the Socialists signed a pact with the Citizens, their attempts to gain the support of Congress at the start of March ended in failure and subsequent talks with Podemos in early April collapsed after just one meeting.

Source: XINHUA