Madrid, Dhu-AlHijjah 30, 1437, Oct 1, 2016, SPA -- Pedro Sanchez, head of Spain's Socialist Party (PSOE), resigned late Saturday in an intra-party squabble over whether to support a conservative-led governing coalition. He quit after losing the support of a majority of the party's central committee, Sanchez told reporters. He opposed allowing acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the conservative People's Party (PP) to form a government. Sanchez's departure could pave the way for a new government, which Spain has sought for almost nine months. In September, Parliament rejected Rajoy's latest attempt to win a confidence vote to form a new government, edging Spain closer to its third election in a year. Rajoy buoyed a week ago by his party's success in provincial elections in his home region of Galicia, where the People's Party have held power for the last four years. Sanchez's opposition to a Rajoy-led government bitterly split the Socialist Party. --SPA 03:46 LOCAL TIME 00:46 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w