Spain king to meet with parties in last bid to snap deadlock
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Spain's king will meet again with the country's political parties in a last-minute bid to break a near four-month stalemate in finding a candidate capable of forming a new government and avoid a new election.
The palace said in a statement Tuesday that King Felipe VI would meet with party representatives April 25-26.
The decision comes after Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez, chosen by the king as candidate following the inconclusive Dec. 20 election, failed in two parliamentary votes to muster sufficient support.
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Subsequent negotiations between the Socialists, their centrist ally Ciudadanos, and the far-left Podemos party to strike a deal have made little progress.
A new government must be in place by May 2 or the king will dissolve parliament and another election will be held June 26.