Spain’s acting premier Mariano Rajoy lost a parliamentary confidence vote for a second term after he failed to win enough support from the opposition.
He received 170 votes of support, falling short – as expected – of the minimum 176 needed to form a government.
He needed the support of the Socialists, who voted unanimously against him, to win the required absolute majority.
Rajoy now faces a second vote in which delegates can abstain and a simple majority would suffice to allow him to form a PP-led minority government. He would need just 11 abstentions to win this second vote, but a loss is also likely if the Socialists do not cede.
If he loses this vote, Rajoy has two months to try to form a government before triggering another election.