Spanish king asks PM to form new government following failed first attempt

Spain's King Felipe VI has asked Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to attempt to form a new coalition government. This decision comes after the king held talks with various political party leaders to assess their chances of securing majority support in parliament.

This came following the head of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, having been unable to garner sufficient parliamentary support to form a government, Politico reports. Consequently, Congress of Deputies President Francina Armengol, Spain's equivalent of the House speaker, announced the king's decision to invite Pedro Sánchez to try to build a new coalition government.

In Spain's July 23 election, Sánchez's Socialist party finished second, trailing behind the conservative Popular Party. Now, Sánchez will seek to form a coalition government to address the country's political challenges.