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Basques short of overall majority | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Nationalists have won the most votes regional elections in Spain's Basque Country, final results show, but fallen short of a majority in parliament. | |
The results mean the nationalists, who have governed the Basque Country for 29 years, could lose power in the region to a coalition of other parties. | |
In the north-western region of Galicia, Spain's Socialists lost power to the opposition conservative Popular Party. | |
The polls were the first political test for Spain since it slid into recession. | |
The results in the Basque Country mean the Socialists could form a coalition with a range of parties - including the conservatives, the BBC's Steve Kingstone reports from Spain. | |
Never has a non-nationalist party led an elected government in the region, he adds. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) has been in power in the region for 29 years. | |
Much depends now on coalition talks which will take place over the coming days, our correspondent adds. | |
Bomb alert | Bomb alert |
More than four million people were eligible to elect the regional parliaments in Galicia and the Basque Country. | More than four million people were eligible to elect the regional parliaments in Galicia and the Basque Country. |
In the Basque Country, the Socialists had focussed their campaign on the economy rather than issues of national identity. | |
They ran their election campaign saying that the real issue was jobs, rather than referendums and self-rule, our correspondent says. | |
Hours before polls opened, Basque police arrested a suspected member of the militant group Eta, who was believed to have been planning an imminent attack. | |
The 24-year-old had been under surveillance. | The 24-year-old had been under surveillance. |
Officers later found what has been described as "bomb-making equipment" in an apartment in the town of Hernani, our correspondent says. | Officers later found what has been described as "bomb-making equipment" in an apartment in the town of Hernani, our correspondent says. |
Eta had called the Basque election "anti-democratic" following a decision by Spain's Supreme Court to ban two separatist parties from fielding candidates. | Eta had called the Basque election "anti-democratic" following a decision by Spain's Supreme Court to ban two separatist parties from fielding candidates. |
Job concerns | Job concerns |
In the Basque Country, the PNV has been in power since Spain returned to democracy three decades ago. What kind of unemployment do people prefer, 8%, as we have here, or 14%, as they have in Madrid? Miren AzkarateBasque Nationalist spokeswoman Analysis: Basque race wide open | In the Basque Country, the PNV has been in power since Spain returned to democracy three decades ago. What kind of unemployment do people prefer, 8%, as we have here, or 14%, as they have in Madrid? Miren AzkarateBasque Nationalist spokeswoman Analysis: Basque race wide open |
The party has sought to loosen constitutional ties with the central government in Madrid and assert the rights of Basques to decide their own political future. | The party has sought to loosen constitutional ties with the central government in Madrid and assert the rights of Basques to decide their own political future. |
However, the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had been seeking to score a historic victory in the region. | However, the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had been seeking to score a historic victory in the region. |
With the country in recession, polls suggested that Basques were more concerned about jobs than legalistic arguments about sovereignty, our correspondent says. | With the country in recession, polls suggested that Basques were more concerned about jobs than legalistic arguments about sovereignty, our correspondent says. |
The Socialists portrayed the leader of the current Basque government, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, as out of touch with real issues. | The Socialists portrayed the leader of the current Basque government, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, as out of touch with real issues. |
The PNV rejected the claims, saying that the Basque economy was doing so much better that the rest of Spain. | The PNV rejected the claims, saying that the Basque economy was doing so much better that the rest of Spain. |
Unemployment is lower in the region than the national average, and Basque incomes are among the highest in Spain, our correspondent says. | Unemployment is lower in the region than the national average, and Basque incomes are among the highest in Spain, our correspondent says. |
The outlawed parties, D3M and Askatasuna, were barred from fielding candidates earlier this month by Spain's supreme court, after prosecutors accused them of links to Eta militants. | The outlawed parties, D3M and Askatasuna, were barred from fielding candidates earlier this month by Spain's supreme court, after prosecutors accused them of links to Eta militants. |
Eta is blamed for more than 800 deaths in a 40-year campaign for an independent Basque homeland. | Eta is blamed for more than 800 deaths in a 40-year campaign for an independent Basque homeland. |