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| Spanish elections: initial results say renewed deadlock beckons | Spanish elections: initial results say renewed deadlock beckons |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Spain is facing further political deadlock after the country’s second general election in six months threatened a similar result to the December vote, leaving the conservative Partido Popular (PP) with the most votes but once again falling short of an overall majority. | Spain is facing further political deadlock after the country’s second general election in six months threatened a similar result to the December vote, leaving the conservative Partido Popular (PP) with the most votes but once again falling short of an overall majority. |
| Despite exit polls suggesting that the far-left Unidos Podemos coalition was on course to stage a historic breakthrough by beating the socialist PSOE into third place, the much-anticipated surge has not materialised. | Despite exit polls suggesting that the far-left Unidos Podemos coalition was on course to stage a historic breakthrough by beating the socialist PSOE into third place, the much-anticipated surge has not materialised. |
| With 80% of the vote counted, the PP is set to take 135 seats, followed by the PSOE with 89 seats, Unido Podemos with 71 seats, and the centrist Ciudadanos party, with 29. | |
| The results follow the pattern in December, when the PP won 123 seats, with 29% of the vote, the PSOE 90 seats with 22%, Podemos 69 seats and 21% of the vote, while Ciudadanos took 40 seats with 14% of the vote. | The results follow the pattern in December, when the PP won 123 seats, with 29% of the vote, the PSOE 90 seats with 22%, Podemos 69 seats and 21% of the vote, while Ciudadanos took 40 seats with 14% of the vote. |
| Although the PP, led by the acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has increased the number of seats it took, it cannot not reach the 176 needed to secure a majority in Spain’s 350-seat congress of deputies. | Although the PP, led by the acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has increased the number of seats it took, it cannot not reach the 176 needed to secure a majority in Spain’s 350-seat congress of deputies. |
| Despite the initial euphoria provoked by the exit polls, Unidos Podemos are not going to pull off their sorpasso, or overtaking, of Pedro Sánchez’s PSOE. | Despite the initial euphoria provoked by the exit polls, Unidos Podemos are not going to pull off their sorpasso, or overtaking, of Pedro Sánchez’s PSOE. |
| Podemos’s recent decision to run on a joint ticket with United Left (IU), the leftwing coalition that includes the Communist party of Spain, appears not to have given them the boost they were looking for. | Podemos’s recent decision to run on a joint ticket with United Left (IU), the leftwing coalition that includes the Communist party of Spain, appears not to have given them the boost they were looking for. |
| Podemos’ strong showing last December - finishing first in Catalonia, where it ran in a coalition with Barcelona en Comú, and the Basque country - had led Iglesias to declare at the time that the era of PP and PSOE domination was over, saying: “Spain is not going to be the same anymore and we are very happy.” | Podemos’ strong showing last December - finishing first in Catalonia, where it ran in a coalition with Barcelona en Comú, and the Basque country - had led Iglesias to declare at the time that the era of PP and PSOE domination was over, saying: “Spain is not going to be the same anymore and we are very happy.” |
| In the run-up to the vote, the party seemed to have capitalised on a growing disenchantment with the traditional political behemoths as Spain emerges slowly from its economic crisis but still struggles with an unemployment rate of 21% and a youth unemployment rate of 45%. Its hand has also been strengthened by the proliferation of corruption scandals that have tarnished the PP in recent years. | In the run-up to the vote, the party seemed to have capitalised on a growing disenchantment with the traditional political behemoths as Spain emerges slowly from its economic crisis but still struggles with an unemployment rate of 21% and a youth unemployment rate of 45%. Its hand has also been strengthened by the proliferation of corruption scandals that have tarnished the PP in recent years. |
| Sánchez had played down the numbers, insisting that Iglesias would not be prime minister while also refusing to back a PP government with Rajoy at the helm. | Sánchez had played down the numbers, insisting that Iglesias would not be prime minister while also refusing to back a PP government with Rajoy at the helm. |
| The repeat election is the first major European poll since the UK vote to leave the EU sent shockwaves around the continent and wiped more than $2tn of value from markets around the world on Friday. | The repeat election is the first major European poll since the UK vote to leave the EU sent shockwaves around the continent and wiped more than $2tn of value from markets around the world on Friday. |
| Although a poll published late on Saturday night showed voters sticking to their pre-Brexit preferences, some – not least the leaders of the big four parties – had predicted that the UK referendum would have an inevitable impact. | Although a poll published late on Saturday night showed voters sticking to their pre-Brexit preferences, some – not least the leaders of the big four parties – had predicted that the UK referendum would have an inevitable impact. |
| Rajoy said events in the UK underlined the need for “institutional and economic stability”, adding: “It is not the moment to fuel or increase uncertainty.” | Rajoy said events in the UK underlined the need for “institutional and economic stability”, adding: “It is not the moment to fuel or increase uncertainty.” |
| Iglesias said Friday had been a “sad day for Europe”, but Britain’s decision only served to highlight the need for major reform. “No one would want to leave a fair and supportive Europe,” he said. “We have to change Europe.” | Iglesias said Friday had been a “sad day for Europe”, but Britain’s decision only served to highlight the need for major reform. “No one would want to leave a fair and supportive Europe,” he said. “We have to change Europe.” |
| Earlier on Sunday, Sánchez was blunter still as he urged people to get out and vote. “If you stay at home, things turn out like they have in the UK,” he said. “The extremes call the shots, fear votes, hope doesn’t – and then people regret staying at home. There’s so much at stake here: we’re choosing what kind of Spain and what kind of Europe we want in the future.” | Earlier on Sunday, Sánchez was blunter still as he urged people to get out and vote. “If you stay at home, things turn out like they have in the UK,” he said. “The extremes call the shots, fear votes, hope doesn’t – and then people regret staying at home. There’s so much at stake here: we’re choosing what kind of Spain and what kind of Europe we want in the future.” |
| Albert Rivera, the Ciudadanos leader, said the Brexit vote had been fuelled by “fear and bitterness”, handing victory to conservatives and populists. | Albert Rivera, the Ciudadanos leader, said the Brexit vote had been fuelled by “fear and bitterness”, handing victory to conservatives and populists. |
| Spain’s poll has also been overshadowed by the latest PP scandal. The acting interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, has been facing calls to resign since Tuesday, when leaked recordings emerged in which he and the head of Catalonia’s anti-fraud office, Daniel de Alfonso, appear to discuss the possibility of using investigations to smear pro-independence rivals in the region. | Spain’s poll has also been overshadowed by the latest PP scandal. The acting interior minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, has been facing calls to resign since Tuesday, when leaked recordings emerged in which he and the head of Catalonia’s anti-fraud office, Daniel de Alfonso, appear to discuss the possibility of using investigations to smear pro-independence rivals in the region. |
| The 36.5 million Spaniards eligible to vote returned to the polls after the 20 December election failed to yield a clear winner, tipping the country into six messy months of squabbling, sniping and horsetrading that have tested the patience of the Spanish public and exacerbated the personal and ideological differences between party leaders. | The 36.5 million Spaniards eligible to vote returned to the polls after the 20 December election failed to yield a clear winner, tipping the country into six messy months of squabbling, sniping and horsetrading that have tested the patience of the Spanish public and exacerbated the personal and ideological differences between party leaders. |
| Then, the PP won 123 seats and 29% of the vote, the PSOE 90 seats and 22%, Podemos 69 and 21%, and Ciudadanos took 40 seats with 14% of the vote. | Then, the PP won 123 seats and 29% of the vote, the PSOE 90 seats and 22%, Podemos 69 and 21%, and Ciudadanos took 40 seats with 14% of the vote. |
| The failure of any party to win an outright majority left Rajoy’s party acting as a caretaker government during months of often bad-tempered negotiations. In January, Rajoy told King Felipe VI that the PP did not have sufficient support to offer a minority or coalition government. | The failure of any party to win an outright majority left Rajoy’s party acting as a caretaker government during months of often bad-tempered negotiations. In January, Rajoy told King Felipe VI that the PP did not have sufficient support to offer a minority or coalition government. |
| Sánchez tried to pull together a government with Ciudadanos in March and to assemble a leftist coalition the following month, but neither initiative secured the necessary support. | Sánchez tried to pull together a government with Ciudadanos in March and to assemble a leftist coalition the following month, but neither initiative secured the necessary support. |
| At the beginning of May, the king signed a decree dissolving parliament and fixing a date for new elections. The ensuing months of uncertainty and bickering have not gone down well with some voters. | At the beginning of May, the king signed a decree dissolving parliament and fixing a date for new elections. The ensuing months of uncertainty and bickering have not gone down well with some voters. |
| “I’m disappointed,” Sonia Hontoria, a 35-year-old administrative clerk told Reuters, adding that she would leave her vote blank. | “I’m disappointed,” Sonia Hontoria, a 35-year-old administrative clerk told Reuters, adding that she would leave her vote blank. |
| “The people voted in December for a greater range of parties and in the end all the politicians wanted was an absolute majority and they were unable to respond to what the people wanted.” | “The people voted in December for a greater range of parties and in the end all the politicians wanted was an absolute majority and they were unable to respond to what the people wanted.” |
| But Carlos Martínez, a retired administrative clerk who cast his ballot for Unidos Podemos in the Arganzuela neighbourhood in Madrid, said he believed the party offered the prospect of real change. “This is a crucial time for the left,” he told Reuters. “Our time has come.” | But Carlos Martínez, a retired administrative clerk who cast his ballot for Unidos Podemos in the Arganzuela neighbourhood in Madrid, said he believed the party offered the prospect of real change. “This is a crucial time for the left,” he told Reuters. “Our time has come.” |
| Pau Marí-Klose, a professor of sociology at the University of Zaragoza, said policy arguments appeared to have been displaced by point-scoring as the struggle for power stretched on. | Pau Marí-Klose, a professor of sociology at the University of Zaragoza, said policy arguments appeared to have been displaced by point-scoring as the struggle for power stretched on. |
| He told the Guardian: “It’s almost as if the parties decided that all their policy proposals were so well known that they didn’t need to bang on about them any more and so they devoted themselves to politicking instead.” | He told the Guardian: “It’s almost as if the parties decided that all their policy proposals were so well known that they didn’t need to bang on about them any more and so they devoted themselves to politicking instead.” |