Socialists say 'no' to conservative government, extending deadlock

Spain’s Socialist leader yesterday reaffirmed his party's intention to vote against a government led by the conservative Partido Popular, potentially extending a seven-month political deadlock.

The PP won the most votes in a June 26 election, the second in six months, but fell short of a majority. This left acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to convince other parties to join it or at least abstain from blocking it in forming a government.

"We will vote against (Mariano) Rajoy as a prime ministerial candidate," Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez said after a nearly hour-and-a-half meeting with the acting prime minister.

Sr Sanchez also ruled out a "grand coalition" of the left and right, as has happened in some other European countries such as Germany, but added he would "do anything" to avoid sending Spaniards to the polls for a third time after two inconclusive elections.

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