RAJOY SWORN IN
Acting PM Mariano Rajoy receives official appointment after Saturday's vote
PP LEADER Mariano Rajoy ceased being acting PM to become officially appointed for the post following the second investiture vote held on Saturday evening.
Saturday's second investiture vote - held 48 hours after the unsuccessful one on Thursday - saw Sr Rajoy obtain the support of his 137 PP colleagues in parliament, 32 votes from centrists Ciudadanos and one vote from Coalición Canaria.
With 170 votes in favour and 350 seats in parliament, Sr Rajoy needed the abstention of at least 11 other MPs to be appointed by simple majority - more votes in favour than against.
All eyes were on the PSOE party, who had announced they would abstain, but it was unclear whether all its MPs would follow the party order or, as threatened, many would continue to vote against Sr Rajoy.
Sánchez resigns
With just a few hours to go before the crucial second vote, former PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez surprised everyone by announcing his resignation as MP.
Although his seat will eventually be taken by Madrid councillor Carlota Merchán, the resignation came too close to the vote for her to be appointed. Hence the PP had at least one abstention guaranteed.
But in the end all PSOE MPs except 15 abstained, allowing Mariano Rajoy to be elected PM in parliament by 170 votes in favour, 111 against and 68 abstentions.
The decree sanctioning Sr Rajoy's appointment was signed by the King as soon as he returned to Madrid on Sunday afternoon. His majesty had been attending the Iberoamerican summit in Colombia.
Mariano Rajoy was solemnly sworn in as PM at Zarzuela Palace on Monday morning and was expected to release the names of his Cabinet ministers yesterday (Thursday).
However, at the time of going to press, Sr Rajoy had not yet announced the names of the new Cabinet members.
The president was due to meet the King at 18.00 and reveal his new team shortly after that.