Spaniards face further wait for gov't after Wednesday meeting

Spaniards need to wait at least one more week to see wether there is a chance for acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to form a government, or the country will face a third general election within a year.

Wednesday saw Rajoy hold his third meeting with Albert Rivera, the leader of the center-right party Ciudadanos, less than 24 hours after Rivera presented a list of six conditions that Rajoy's Peoples Party need to agree on so as to gain Ciudadanos' support in a future investiture vote.

The majority of the conditions are over either electoral reform or anti-corruption measures, including a demand for a full investigation into the 'Barcenas case' which involves the alleged illegal financing of Rajoy's party.

Following the two-hour meeting, both spoke to the press with Rivera saying he was "satisfied".

The acting prime minister, however, also said that he would discuss the proposals at a meeting of the PP Executive Committee on Aug.17, although he said that Spain "needs a government quickly; as soon as possible," after almost eight months of stalemate following the elections on Dec. 20 and June 26.

He added that any electoral reform needed the support of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and refused to say if he would call an investiture debate if the Socialists maintain their opposition.

The PP won 137 seats in the June 26 general election, while Ciudadanos claimed 32, meaning that even if Rivera lent his support to Rajoy, the acting prime minister would still fall short of the 176 seats needed for a majority in the 350-seat Congress unless the PSOE either supported him or agree to abstain in the investiture vote. Endit