Spain's king begins talks with parties on forming new government

King Felipe VI of Spain has begun consultations on the formation of a new government, about a month after the country's parliamentary elections.
The monarch is to receive leaders of political parties at his residence in the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid on Monday and Tuesday.
According to the Royal Household, he plans to hold individual talks with seven politicians.
Some regional parties, including the Catalan separatists, refused to take part in the consultations with the king, media outlets have reported, although they play an important role in forming the government.
Felipe will meet caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the conservative People's Party (PP) on Tuesday.
The king could then nominate one of the two to form a government. However, neither politician has enough obvious support from other parties to form a governing coalition.
If no government can be formed, the European Union's fourth-largest economy will have to hold another general election at the end of the year or early next year.
Feijóo's party won the election on July 23, but had fallen short of expectations with 137 seats. His possible coalition partner, the right-wing populist Vox, has only 33.
In the vote in the lower house, a candidate needs to hold an absolute majority of at least 176 votes in the first round. In the second round, a simple majority is sufficient.
According to the media, it is therefore unlikely that Felipe will appoint Feijóo despite his election victory. Sánchez is considered to have the better chance.