King Felipe VI of Spain on Tuesday asked the head of the country's Socialist Party, Pedro Sanchez, to try to form a new government following inconclusive elections held in December, according to dpa. Sanchez said the socialists would take up the effort, but also complained that it should be the duty of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the conservative People's Party, which won the most seats in parliament but not enough for an absolute majority. Spain's political leaders have been at an impasse since the polls on December 20, with Rajoy failing to secure enough support from other parties to ensure his re-election. Sanchez, 43, said Rajoy had done nothing to create a majority. "We socialists will reach out to the right and to the left," said the Socialist Party leader. Rajoy, 60, needs the support of the Socialist Party to be re-elected, but Sanchez chose not to support Rajoy, hoping the king would tap him to create a left-based government. Patxi Lopez, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, announced the king's decision to ask Sanchez to try to form a government after meeting with the monarch. Lopez said Sanchez had informed him that coalition negotiations would take "three weeks to a month." Analysts say it will be difficult for Sanchez to garner a parliamentary majority. If a government is not formed within two months of an election, fresh polls must be called. The Socialists rejected this. The king initially intended to recommend Rajoy as prime minister during a meeting a few weeks ago. However, he declined, saying "at the moment" he lacked the necessary majority. He has argued that the People's Party should form a government under his leadership and include the Socialists and the liberal Ciudadanos (Citizens) party.
