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| Spain to vote in regional and municipal elections | Spain to vote in regional and municipal elections |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Spaniards are voting in regional and municipal elections that could challenge the grip of the country's two main parties. | |
| Seats in all of the local councils are at stake, as well as places in 13 of the 17 regional parliaments. | Seats in all of the local councils are at stake, as well as places in 13 of the 17 regional parliaments. |
| Opinion polls suggest that the ruling party and its main rival could both be punished by voters. | Opinion polls suggest that the ruling party and its main rival could both be punished by voters. |
| Sunday's vote is seen as an important barometer of opinion ahead of national elections later this year. | Sunday's vote is seen as an important barometer of opinion ahead of national elections later this year. |
| Spain's economic crisis and a series of corruption scandals have damaged the reputations of both the ruling Popular Party (PP) and the leading opposition, the Socialists (PSOE) party. | Spain's economic crisis and a series of corruption scandals have damaged the reputations of both the ruling Popular Party (PP) and the leading opposition, the Socialists (PSOE) party. |
| Analysts say that the PP could lose its majority in almost all of the 10 regions it currently controls. | Analysts say that the PP could lose its majority in almost all of the 10 regions it currently controls. |
| The vote could open the door for newer parties such as Ciudadanos and the anti-austerity party Podemos. | |
| Podemos - meaning "We can" - came third in Andalusia's regional election in March. | Podemos - meaning "We can" - came third in Andalusia's regional election in March. |
| The PSOE, who have governed Andalusia for more than 30 years, were left short of a majority. | The PSOE, who have governed Andalusia for more than 30 years, were left short of a majority. |
| Podemos, a leftist grassroots movement launched in January 2014, unexpectedly won five seats in last year's European elections. | Podemos, a leftist grassroots movement launched in January 2014, unexpectedly won five seats in last year's European elections. |
| The party is running in Spain's regional election, but does not have official candidates at the municipal level. | The party is running in Spain's regional election, but does not have official candidates at the municipal level. |
| Ciudadanos (meaning "Citizens") is another new party challenging Spain's decades-old pattern of two-party rivalry. | Ciudadanos (meaning "Citizens") is another new party challenging Spain's decades-old pattern of two-party rivalry. |
| It has a pro-business agenda and is seen as a threat to the PP. | It has a pro-business agenda and is seen as a threat to the PP. |