Spanish Parliament begins to try to elect new government
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Deputies elected in Spain's second inconclusive elections last month are taking their seats and starting procedures to try to elect a prime minister and avoid another round of elections.
The deputies will elect a parliament speaker Tuesday who will liaise with King Felipe VI before the monarch begins meeting party leaders — presumably next week — prior to calling on one to try to form a government.
The conservative Popular Party won the June 26 vote with 137 seats and its leader, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, is expected to be the candidate tapped by the king.
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Rajoy's party fell short of a majority in the 350-seat parliament and would need support from other parties to win a vote of confidence. But no major party appears willing to back him.