Spain's new government struggles to draw line under political paralysis

By Sonya Dowsett and Sarah White MADRID (Reuters) - Political paralysis persists in Spain 10 days into the new minority government's mandate as it has been unable even to convene urgent cross-party talks on a budget for next year. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's People's Party (PP) and opposition newcomer Ciudadanos have yet to set a date on when to start talks on spending plans, even before presenting the draft for approval from a largely hostile parliament. The laboured process of negotiating an initial draft, which could see the parliamentary vote on the budget delayed until January, shows how sclerotic policy-making has become in Spain's new era of fragmented government.

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