STORY: Spain's Socialist leader Sanchez set for fresh bid to form gov't
DATELINE: Oct. 4, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:19
LOCATION: Madrid
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
2. various of the leader of the right-wing People's Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
4. various of Spanish Congress (file)

STORYLINE:

Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), was nominated by King Felipe on Tuesday to try and form the country's new government.
   
Sanchez, who has been acting prime minister since the July 23 general election, will now conduct talks with political party leaders with the aim of establishing a viable coalition government.
   
His opportunity comes after the leader of the right-wing People's Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, last week lost two investiture votes in Congress.
   
"I have accepted the responsibility given to me by His Majesty the King to be a candidate to be invested as prime minister," Sanchez said, adding that he felt "honored and responsible to the whole of Spanish society."
   
SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
"I have accepted the responsibility given to me by His Majesty the King, to be a candidate to be invested as the prime minister in Congress. I want to say that I do it with the hope of knowing how Spain can advance in the next four years with a progressive government."

Feijoo also met the king on Tuesday, after other party leaders (with the exception of those of the Catalan nationalist parties Junts per Catalunya and ERC) spoke with Felipe VI on Monday.
   
It will not be easy for Sanchez to gain the support needed to win an investiture vote, analysts said. The Socialists won 121 seats in July and that means he will need the votes of all the parties in Congress with the exception of the PP, the extreme right-wing Vox and the regional UPN and Coalicion Canaria to return as prime minister.
   
Sanchez has to form a government until Nov. 27. Otherwise, Parliament will be dissolved and new elections called for January.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Madrid.
(XHTV)