Spain appears set to hold its fourth general election in four years after acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party failed to strike a deal with other political parties on forming a government following an inconclusive election in April, Spanish daily El País reported.
Sánchez, who has declined offers from left-wing Unidas Podemos for a coalition government, said Sept. 17 that he "had tried by all means available" to secure a governing deal with other parties involved in negotiations, but to no avail.
Party leaders held two days of talks with Spain's King Felipe VI, who said he would not be endorsing a candidate for prime minister as none was expected to win an investiture vote.
Parliament is expected to be dissolved next week and new elections would be called for Nov. 10, unless Sánchez and political parties reach any last-minute breakthrough this week, El País noted.
Spain had until Sept. 23 to form a government, according to The Associated Press.
Sánchez's Socialist Party has 123 seats in the parliament's 350-member lower chamber, below the 175 seats required to form a government.
