Spain: King asks Prime Minister to form new government

(Baonghean.vn) - On July 28, King Felipe VI of Spain entrusted the head of the conservative government, Mariano Rajoy,Breytry to form a new cabinet and put an end to more than seven months of political deadlock in the country.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey in Madrid on July 17. Photo: Reuters.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey said “the King has offered to try to form a government... I accept this” and would “redouble efforts” to get the necessary support in parliament.

Previously, in December 2015, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey had rejected a similar offer. This time, Mr. Rajoy accepted but did not commit to a date, citing the need for “reasonable time.”

Although the PP won the parliamentary elections on June 26, 2015 with 137 seats, this number is still far from the absolute number of seats (176 seats) to form a new cabinet. Therefore, Rajoy must convince other parties to have enough seats in the National Assembly. However, up to now, the Spanish Prime Minister has only convinced the moderate Ciudadanos party with 32 members.

On the evening of July 28, in a speech, Mr. Rajoy said that he would do everything in his power to help Spain form a government, but he also said that this did not depend only on him.

Spain is currently facing a series of pressing issues to be resolved, such as reducing the budget deficit and calming the separatist situation in Catalonia in the northeast of the country - where the National Assembly voted on July 26 to implement the "disconnection" process./.

An Vien

(According to Le Monde)