Rajoy resignation to the investiture, but maintained his candidacy for President

USPA NEWS - The acting President of the Spanish Government, Mariano Rajoy, on Friday declined the offer of King Philip VI to be submitted to the investiture session in Parliament. In an appearance before reporters at the Moncloa Palace, Rajoy warned not to throw in the towel.

"The King has offered to introduce me to the investiture session," said Rajoy. "I have appreciated the offer, but I told they today, at this moment, I am not in a position to introduce," he added, "because not only I don't have the required majority to be elected, but I have an absolute majority of votes against." He was referring to what observed by King Philip VI during their talks with leaders of political parties represented in the Spanish Parliament that only the conservative Popular Party supports Rajoy and the rest will either rejects or, as in the case the centrist Citizens, abstains.

Mariano Rajoy's resignation was announced by the Royal House issued a statement on the stroke of 8 pm local time (1 pm US Central Time). Soon after, before the press, Rajoy said that "I did not say 'no' to anything; I not waive my investiture. I keep my candidacy for President of the Government, but I told the King that I do not have the majority of votes needed for my inauguration.“

The investiture debate, Rajoy said, "is not a procedure to start counting the time." The Spanish Prime Minister still appealed once again to dialogue and criticized the refusal of the secretary general of the Socialist Party (PSOE) to talk to him. "Pedro Sanchez wants something different from what I intend at this time," Rajoy said, adding: "That is not what is best for Spain." In this regard, he said that "the Government intends Pedro Sanchez is not moderate or focused."

Rajoy, whose party, the PP, announced in the morning that during the investiture session will present a "generous" offer to the Socialist Party "that Pedro Sanchez will very difficult to refuse," changed his mind after hearing the statements of the leader of Podemos, the formation of extreme left that leads Pablo Iglesias, who will preside Deputy Prime Minister according he proclaimed. According to statements they sounded in the shade and could materialize on Saturday, when they return to meet to discuss Pedro Sanchez and Pablo Iglesias.

"People have voted with the PP candidate," Rajoy said when asked if he would give the Prime Minister another candidate, in the event that PSOE and Citizen accept the proposed tripartite conservatives. "Democracy must respect it," he said. Earlier, Rajoy insisted on its proposals: a coalition of three parties "agree in the fundamental" and that "no ability to understand, if there is a will to do it," said Spanish Prime Minister yet and again set their priorities "grow and create jobs, strengthen our welfare state, the defense of national unity and the fight against terrorism."

King Philip VI begin on Wednesday a new round of consultations with leaders of political parties represented in the Spanish Parliament with a view to appointing a new candidate for Prime Minister. If there are no surprises, that will be the Socialist candidate Pedro Sanchez, who now lies in the pressure of the investiture, as it needs the support of the extreme left represented by Podemos, the communists of the United Left, the Basque nationalists, the Catalan Republicans and other small formations. A set of parties with an interest in the independence, constitutional reform and an end to the monarchy. Issues of concern to the Socialist leaders, whose sense of State collides with these proposals. The question is self Pedro Sanchez.