Spain premier, Socialist chief meet to end 8-month impasse

MADRID (AP) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is meeting opposition Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez in hopes of persuading him not to block Rajoy's effort to form a minority government and end an eight-month political impasse.

Monday's meeting appeared unlikely to succeed, given Sanchez's insistence that the Socialists will vote against Rajoy rather than abstain in a vote scheduled for Wednesday.

Rajoy's conservative Popular Party has struck a deal with the business-friendly Ciudadanos party that, combined with another small parliamentary group, would give Rajoy 170 votes, six short of a majority in the 350-seat parliament.

If the Socialists' 85 lawmakers abstained, the way would be clear for Rajoy to form a new government following a second leadership vote Friday. But outright Socialist rejection makes formation of a minority government impossible.