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| Spain holds most open election for decades | Spain holds most open election for decades |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Spaniards are voting in a landmark election that will see more than two parties compete for power for the first time in decades. | Spaniards are voting in a landmark election that will see more than two parties compete for power for the first time in decades. |
| Newcomers Podemos, an anti-austerity party, and Citizens, a liberal party, are challenging the ruling Popular Party (PP) and the Socialists. | Newcomers Podemos, an anti-austerity party, and Citizens, a liberal party, are challenging the ruling Popular Party (PP) and the Socialists. |
| Opinion polls have suggested PM Mariano Rajoy's PP is narrowly ahead. | Opinion polls have suggested PM Mariano Rajoy's PP is narrowly ahead. |
| While he has been in power, Spain has emerged from a financial crisis into a period of economic growth. | While he has been in power, Spain has emerged from a financial crisis into a period of economic growth. |
| The conservative PP currently has a majority in Spain's lower house of parliament. | The conservative PP currently has a majority in Spain's lower house of parliament. |
| New parties Citizens and Podemos are fielding national candidates for the first time. | New parties Citizens and Podemos are fielding national candidates for the first time. |
| The BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid says both look set to take a take a large chunk of the vote, ending the power monopoly of Spain's traditional heavyweights. | The BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid says both look set to take a take a large chunk of the vote, ending the power monopoly of Spain's traditional heavyweights. |
| It is almost certain that no party will get a majority of MPs in parliament, our correspondent says, meaning some form of coalition will have to be agreed. | It is almost certain that no party will get a majority of MPs in parliament, our correspondent says, meaning some form of coalition will have to be agreed. |
| Polling stations opened at 09:00 local time (08:00 GMT) and close at 19:00 GMT. Exit polls are expected minutes afterwards and complete results are due two days later. | Polling stations opened at 09:00 local time (08:00 GMT) and close at 19:00 GMT. Exit polls are expected minutes afterwards and complete results are due two days later. |
| Return to growth | Return to growth |
| The economy, corruption allegations and a separatist drive in the prosperous north-eastern region of Catalonia have been the dominant issues in the election. | The economy, corruption allegations and a separatist drive in the prosperous north-eastern region of Catalonia have been the dominant issues in the election. |
| The candidates, in quotes | The candidates, in quotes |
| Pablo Iglesias, 37, university lecturer, leader of new anti-capitalist party Podemos: "The problem isn't Greece, the problem is Europe. Germany and the IMF are destroying the political project of Europe" | Pablo Iglesias, 37, university lecturer, leader of new anti-capitalist party Podemos: "The problem isn't Greece, the problem is Europe. Germany and the IMF are destroying the political project of Europe" |
| Pedro Sanchez, 43, academic, leader of established Socialist party (PSOE): "The head of the government, Mr Rajoy, has to be a decent person, and you are not" | Pedro Sanchez, 43, academic, leader of established Socialist party (PSOE): "The head of the government, Mr Rajoy, has to be a decent person, and you are not" |
| Albert Rivera, 36, lawyer and former competitive swimmer, leader of new Citizens (Ciudadanos) party: "They [Podemos] blame the system - we blame the people who have corrupted the system" | Albert Rivera, 36, lawyer and former competitive swimmer, leader of new Citizens (Ciudadanos) party: "They [Podemos] blame the system - we blame the people who have corrupted the system" |
| Mariano Rajoy, 60, prime minister and leader of established, conservative Popular Party: "Who today is talking about bailout Spain? No-one" | Mariano Rajoy, 60, prime minister and leader of established, conservative Popular Party: "Who today is talking about bailout Spain? No-one" |
| Corruption dominates debate | Corruption dominates debate |
| New faces in politics | New faces in politics |
| New political era | New political era |
| Mr Rajoy's administration adopted unpopular austerity measures and job reforms that have been credited with returning the Spanish economy to growth. | Mr Rajoy's administration adopted unpopular austerity measures and job reforms that have been credited with returning the Spanish economy to growth. |
| However, unemployment remains high at 21%, the second-highest rate in the EU after Greece, although it has fallen from its 2013 peak of 27%. | However, unemployment remains high at 21%, the second-highest rate in the EU after Greece, although it has fallen from its 2013 peak of 27%. |
| The PP has also been damaged by corruption scandals. | The PP has also been damaged by corruption scandals. |
| The central government in Madrid has also had to contend with an attempt by Catalonia to break away from the rest of Spain. | The central government in Madrid has also had to contend with an attempt by Catalonia to break away from the rest of Spain. |
| Pro-independence parties in Catalonia won an absolute majority in regional elections in September and a month later passed a motion to begin the process of declaring independence. | Pro-independence parties in Catalonia won an absolute majority in regional elections in September and a month later passed a motion to begin the process of declaring independence. |
| Spain's Constitutional Court has revoked that motion, but Catalonia's leaders said they would ignore it. | Spain's Constitutional Court has revoked that motion, but Catalonia's leaders said they would ignore it. |
| Mr Rajoy has vowed to quash the threat to Spanish unity, but other parties favour negotiations to devolve more power to the region, which accounts for about a fifth of Spain's economic output. | Mr Rajoy has vowed to quash the threat to Spanish unity, but other parties favour negotiations to devolve more power to the region, which accounts for about a fifth of Spain's economic output. |
| Mr Rajoy has also raised questions about his future by including his deputy, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, on campaign posters and fielding her in his place during a leaders TV debate. | Mr Rajoy has also raised questions about his future by including his deputy, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, on campaign posters and fielding her in his place during a leaders TV debate. |
| His campaigning has also not been easy - a teenager punched him in the face during a visit to the town of Pontevedra in the north-west. | His campaigning has also not been easy - a teenager punched him in the face during a visit to the town of Pontevedra in the north-west. |
| Spain at a crossroads | Spain at a crossroads |
| Housing row in Catalonia: Taking back Barcelona's apartments | Housing row in Catalonia: Taking back Barcelona's apartments |
| Depopulation in rural Castile and Leon: Resisting change in a dying village | Depopulation in rural Castile and Leon: Resisting change in a dying village |
| Early school-leavers in Murcia: Spain's voters call for shake-up in classroom | Early school-leavers in Murcia: Spain's voters call for shake-up in classroom |
| Have you voted in the Spanish elections? What are the issues that influenced your voting decision the most? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences and pictures. | |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |