Spain’s king begins talks with party leaders in hopes of choosing one to form a government

By CIARÁN GILES
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — King Felipe VI has begun consultations with leaders of Spain’s political parties to see which one has the best chance of forming a government following an inconclusive national election last month. The July 23 election left no obvious coalition with a clear path to power. Parties on the left and the right received almost an equal number of seats. The king started his talks on Monday with the representatives of several smaller parties. He is expected to wrap up the sessions Tuesday, when he plans to receive acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party finished second in the election, and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, whose right-of-center Popular Party won the most votes.