Editing Felipe VI (section)

==== 2023 Spanish general election and third Sánchez government ====
The [[Second government of Pedro Sánchez|coalition government]] formed in 2020 led to almost a complete [[14th Cortes Generales|legislature]] of stability, however, in May 2023, [[2023 Spanish local elections|local]] and [[2023 Spanish regional elections|regional]] elections were held. The result of these elections could not have been worse for the government; although the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|Socialist Party]] held up well, losing just 400,000 votes compared to the 2019 regional and local elections, the parties to its left collapsed<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-05-28|title=La izquierda a la izquierda del PSOE se hunde y tiñe de azul España|url=https://www.elplural.com/politica/espana/izquierda-izquierda-psoe-hunde-tine-azul-espana_311556102|access-date=2023-08-26|website=El Plural|language=es|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826111023/https://www.elplural.com/politica/espana/izquierda-izquierda-psoe-hunde-tine-azul-espana_311556102|url-status=live}}</ref> and, in many regions and cities, disappeared, causing the Socialists to lose most of their regional and local power.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Carreño|first1=Belén|last2=Jones|first2=Jessica|last3=Carreño|first3=Belén|date=2023-05-28|title=Spain's conservative PP elbows Socialists out in regional elections|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-holds-regional-elections-ahead-year-end-national-vote-2023-05-28/|access-date=2023-08-26|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826111022/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-holds-regional-elections-ahead-year-end-national-vote-2023-05-28/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2023-05-29|title=Spain swings right in local and regional elections|work=Le Monde|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/05/29/spain-swings-right-in-local-and-regional-elections_6028300_4.html|access-date=2023-08-26|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826111022/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/05/29/spain-swings-right-in-local-and-regional-elections_6028300_4.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Solemne Sesión de Apertura de la XV Legislatura (10).jpg|thumb|King Felipe greeting citizens at the [[Solemn Opening of the Parliament of Spain|solemn opening]] of the [[15th Cortes Generales]] in November 2023]]
After this disastrous result, the Socialist prime minister, [[Pedro Sánchez]], requested the king to dissolve Parliament and call early elections with the aim of "clarifying the [will of the] Spanish people about the political forces that should lead this new phase and the policies to be applied".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-05-29|title=Spanish PM Sánchez calls snap general election after disastrous local polls|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-pm-sanchez-calls-snap-general-election-after-disastrous-results-in-local-elections/|access-date=2023-08-26|website=Politico|archive-date=23 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723112136/https://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-pm-sanchez-calls-snap-general-election-after-disastrous-results-in-local-elections/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-05-29|title=Spanish prime minister calls early general election after battering in regional vote|url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-politics-election-6f1aed3f8678feba0d098d4f86d11375|access-date=2023-08-26|work=Associated Press News|archive-date=4 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804033634/https://apnews.com/article/spain-politics-election-6f1aed3f8678feba0d098d4f86d11375|url-status=live}}</ref> As happened in the regional and local elections, the People's Party led by [[Alberto Núñez Feijóo]] won the [[2023 Spanish general election|election]], but he fell short of a majority to form a new conservative government.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2023-07-23|title=Spanish election: Sánchez holds off right surge|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-elections-sanchez-holds-off-right-surge/|access-date=2023-08-26|website=Politico|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826111022/https://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-elections-sanchez-holds-off-right-surge/|url-status=live}}</ref> In general, this was considered a victory for Sánchez, who still had a chance to renew its coalition government.<ref name=":1" />

After meeting with political parties represented in parliament,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spain's king begins meeting parties to form new government|url=https://www.dw.com/en/spains-king-begins-meeting-parties-to-form-new-government/a-66592902|access-date=2023-08-26|publisher=Deutsche Welle|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826111022/https://www.dw.com/en/spains-king-begins-meeting-parties-to-form-new-government/a-66592902|url-status=live}}</ref> and after verifying that neither Sánchez nor Núñez Feijóo had a sufficient majority to form a government, on 22 August 2023 the king asked the winner of the elections, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to form a government.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-08-22|title=Spain's king asks conservative leader Feijóo to form government|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-king-alberto-nunez-feijoo-form-government/|access-date=2023-08-26|website=Politico|archive-date=25 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825030536/https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-king-alberto-nunez-feijoo-form-government/|url-status=live}}</ref> As expected, Núñez Feijóo failed to gather enough support to govern and the Congress of Deputies rejected his candidacy.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-09-27|title=Spanish conservative leader loses first bid to become prime minister|url=https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/27/spanish-conservative-leader-loses-first-bid-to-become-prime-minister|access-date=2023-09-30|website=euronews|archive-date=25 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025065858/https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/27/spanish-conservative-leader-loses-first-bid-to-become-prime-minister|url-status=live}}</ref> Following new meetings with political parties on early October,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-09-29|title=El rey fija la ronda de consultas para el 2 y 3 de octubre|url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20230929/rey-ronda-consultas-investidura-octubre/2457163.shtml|access-date=2023-09-30|website=RTVE|language=es|archive-date=30 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930030116/https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20230929/rey-ronda-consultas-investidura-octubre/2457163.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> the king nominated acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-10-03|title=Spain's king asks Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez to try to form a government|url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-government-sanchez-elections-b548c24cd8340085786839e5c55a5e6b|access-date=2023-10-03|work=Associated Press |archive-date=9 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009070715/https://apnews.com/article/spain-government-sanchez-elections-b548c24cd8340085786839e5c55a5e6b|url-status=live}}</ref> After obtaining the support of [[Sumar (electoral platform)|Sumar]] and the pro-independence and regionalist political parties, the Congress of Deputies re-elected Sánchez on 16 November 2023<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-11-16|title=Spain's parliament confirms Pedro Sánchez as prime minister|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-confirmed-spain-prime-minister/|access-date=2023-11-16|website=Politico|archive-date=16 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116135144/https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-confirmed-spain-prime-minister/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the king swore in the new cabinet on 21 November 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-11-21|title=Sánchez se rodea de su núcleo duro para la nueva legislatura|url=https://es.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/11/21/los-ministros-de-pedro-sanchez-toman-posesion-en-un-gabinete-de-marcado-caracter-politico|access-date=2023-11-24|website=euronews|language=es|archive-date=23 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123203609/https://es.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/11/21/los-ministros-de-pedro-sanchez-toman-posesion-en-un-gabinete-de-marcado-caracter-politico|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 3 November 2024, King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Sánchez and Valencian president [[Carlos Mazón]] were violently confronted during a meeting with victims of the [[October 2024 Spain floods]] in [[Paiporta]] in the [[Valencian Community]], who threw mud and objects at them and injured two bodyguards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-floods-king-protest-mud-a8525bd82cf4cc3fc6273d535cbb9d66 |work=[[Associated Press]] |first1=Joseph |last1=Wilson |first2=David |last2=Melero |title=Spain flood survivors hurl mud at the royals and top government officials |date=4 November 2024}}</ref> Although the Prime Minister had to be evacuated, the monarchs remained there listening to the complaints and requests of the residents.<ref>{{Cite web |work=Heraldo de Aragón |date=2024-11-03 |title=Los Reyes se quedan escuchando a los vecinos de Paiporta en medio de la tensión, mientras Sánchez es evacuado "por seguridad" |url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/nacional/2024/11/03/dana-paiporta-reyes-se-quedan-escuchando-vecinos-de-paiporta-pese-a-la-tension-barro-valencia-1774878.html |access-date=2024-11-05 |language=es}}</ref> After the incident, the visit to neighboring towns was postponed,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-03 |title=Aplazada la visita de los Reyes a Chiva tras los incidentes en Paiporta |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-aplazada-visita-reyes-chiva-incidentes-paiporta-20241103151133.html |access-date=2024-11-05 |publisher=Europa Press}}</ref> but the Royal Household confirmed that they would return "in the next few days".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zarzuela prepara una nueva visita de los Reyes a Chiva (Valencia) "en los próximos días" |url=https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/politica/zarzuela-prepara-nueva-visita-reyes-chiva-valencia-proximos-dias.html |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Voz Populi |language=es}}</ref> The king returned to the region on November 12 to check the efforts of the Armed Forces in the disaster<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Belén Domínguez Cebrián |author2=Ignacio Zafra |date=2024-11-12 |title=El Rey vuelve a Valencia solo y como jefe de las Fuerzas Armadas |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2024-11-12/el-rey-vuelve-a-valencia-solo-y-como-jefe-de-las-fuerzas-armadas.html |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=El País |language=es}}</ref> and, in November 19, the monarchs resumed the visit canceled two weeks earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=El pueblo valenciano se resarce con los Reyes durante su visita a Utiel y Chiva, la 'zona cero' de la DANA |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2024/11/19/673b3dc0fc6c83472e8b4593.html |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=ELMUNDO |language=es}}</ref>