2015–16 Spanish government formation  Attempts to form a government in Spain, and related events, followed the inconclusive Spanish general election of 20 December 2015, which failed to deliver an overall majority for any political party. As a result, the previous Cabinet headed by Mariano Rajoy assumed caretaker functions. According to Article 99.5 of the Spanish Constitution: After a series of inconclusive inter-party negotiations, Pedro Sánchez tried and failed to pass an investiture vote on 2 March. Subsequently, a political impasse set in as King Felipe VI could not find a new candidate to nominate with sufficient parliamentary support. As a result, a snap election was held on 26 June. The second election also proved inconclusive, and a failed investiture attempt by Mariano Rajoy on 31 August raised the prospect of a third election. On 1 October, a party rebellion resulted in Pedro Sánchez being ousted as PSOE leader and the party voted to allow the formation of a PP minority government. This materialized on 29 October when PSOE abstained in Rajoy's second investiture process, thus ending the political deadlock after 314 days without an elected government. As the election produced a hung parliament, a multi-party agreement was expected to be required. Mariano Rajoy said he would try to form an administration, but Pedro Sánchez called for a change in government, while recognising the PP's right to try and form a government first. Two possible coalitions, the PP with C's and PSOE with Podemos, would both come up short of a majority by themselves. There was speculation around four possible outcomes:  C's leader Albert Rivera announced he would not actively support either PP or PSOE, but that he was willing to abstain and allow the PP to form a government. He did, however, state his opposition to any pact in which Podemos was involved. In the meantime, Pablo Iglesias from Podemos laid out stiff terms in order to even consider starting negotiations for a coalition with the PSOE. Podemos' Policy Secretary, Íñigo Errejón, also expressed the party's initial refusal to support Sánchez as a prospective candidate for prime minister, suggesting instead to search for "an independent candidate, above parties". The PSOE accused Iglesias of "filling the political space with red lines" and demanded that Podemos withdraw its condition to hold a self-determination referendum in Catalonia before discussing a pact, with Sánchez stating that he would not be Prime Minister "at any price".