The PSOE, Spain’s socialist party, has begun considering its options for government after gaining the most votes in Sunday’s snap general election but failing to win a majority.
The prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, led his socialist PSOE party to its first victory since 2008, winning 123 seats and taking 29% of the vote.
Turnout was 75.8%, the highest for several years and 9% more than the previous election in 2016.
The right-wing People’s party (PP) suffered a catastrophic result as its seat count plummeted from 137 to 66, while the poll also marked a breakthrough for the far-right Vox party, which took 24 seats to enter the national parliament for the first time.
The PSOE also routed the PP in the upper house of the Spanish parliament, where it took control by winning 121 senators – up from 43 three years ago. The PP’s headcount was slashed from 130 to 56.
With Spain’s third election in four years producing another hung parliament, speculation is mounting as to how the PSOE will secure the 176 seats needed to form a government in the 350-seat congress of deputies.
At the moment, the socialists are aiming to govern alone, albeit with the continuing support of the anti-austerity Unidas Podemos and its allies, led by Pablo Iglesias.
An alliance with centre-right Ciudadanos (57 seats) would give him the numbers, but its leader, Albert Rivera, was bitterly critical of Mr Sánchez’s collaboration with Catalan separatists, referring to his earlier “Frankenstein government” – and vowed he would not enter a coalition with the Socialists.
And as Mr Sánchez gave his victory speech late on Sunday, supporters chanted “Not with Rivera!”, making it clear they also did not want a coalition with Ciudadanos.
An alliance involving all the other regional parties, including the Basque separatist PNV, would leave him one seat short of a majority.
All parties are now looking towards the regional and European elections in less than a month.
Via BBC / The Guardian
