Roundup: Rajoy insists Spain needs stable government at start of investiture debate

Spanish Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insisted that Spain needed a "stable government," as he started the investiture debate in the Spanish Congress on Wednesday.

The leader of the People's Party (PP) was the only party leader to speak on Wednesday, with the leaders of the other parties scheduled to make their speeches on Thursday, before a vote is held on whether or not Rajoy will become prime minister.

He will lose that vote as the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) last Sunday controversially decided to vote against him on Thursday but to abstain in a second investiture vote to be held on Saturday.

That means that Saturday will see Rajoy win the simple majority he needs to officially return to office at the head of a minority government to end 10 months of political stalemate.

In his speech, the PP leader insisted that during those 10 months, the country had "remained on course," but highlighted, "Spain cannot have any more delays or uncertainty," and that it needed a government that "can govern and keep to the path."

He said it was vital to avoid a third general election in a year as this was something "the Spanish do not want."

The PP leader said the "two basic objectives" of a future government were employment and "maintaining the basic pillars of the welfare state," adding that Spain "had turned the corner," in regard to job creation, but there was "much work to be done" and explaining he "would not go back" on the economic policies of his previous government.

Rajoy sent a message to Ciudadanos who will support him in the investiture and the PSOE who will permit him to form a minority government. He said he would look for agreements on issues such as climate change and gender violence, as well as education. Endit