Spain faces political gridlock after conservative win falls short of toppling PM

Supporters of Spain’s mainstream conservative Popular Party (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Spain appears to be heading for political gridlock after inconclusive national elections left parties on the right and left without a clear path towards forging a new government.

The conservative Popular Party won the election but fell short of its hopes of scoring a much bigger victory and forcing the removal of Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez.