Spain misses deadline to form new government, June election set

Madrid: Spain has missed the deadline for its politicians to form a new government following inconclusive elections held 20 December so King Felipe VI must now dissolve parliament before a new election on 20 June. [caption id=“attachment_2761390” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Spain’s acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. AP[/caption] Since no political party had enough support to form a government and all parties failed to reach coalition agreements by midnight Monday — the deadline — the stage is set for an unprecedented repeat of general elections, six months after the previous ballot ended Spain’s two-party system. The king will sign a decree dissolving parliament Tuesday. Spain has been in a political stalemate, governed by a caretaker government with Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy as prime minister since Dec. 20, when newcomer parties Podemos and Ciudadanos upset the longstanding dominance of the Popular Party and Socialists.