Madrid: Spain’s governing Socialists won the country’s third election in four years, but have fallen short of a majority.
PM Pedro Sánchez’s party polled 29% and will need the help of either left-wing Podemos and regional parties, or the centre right, to form a government.
For the first time since military rule ended in the 1970s, a far-right party is set to enter parliament.
Vox opposes multiculturalism, unrestricted migration, and what it calls “radical feminism”.
Analysts say support for Vox has been boosted by widespread anger at the Catalan independence drive. The party fervently opposes any concessions to the secessionists.
The other big story of the election was the collapse in support for the conservative Popular Party (PP), which governed Spain until it was dumped from power in May 2018 in a no-confidence vote.
In its worst election ever, the PP won just 66 seats, down from 137 in the previous parliament.
Turnout was 75.8%, the biggest for several years and 9% higher than the previous election in 2016.
In his victory speech, Mr Sánchez said the party’s big challenges were to fight inequality, advance co-existence and halt corruption.
“The future has won and the past has lost,” he told cheering supporters. During his time in office he has raised the minimum wage, appointed a female-dominated cabinet and promised to bring in laws defining rape as sex without clear consent
Trending
- Israeli divisions deepen over future of Gaza
- Hypertension Day seminar held in DHQ Hospital Wana, took out awareness walk.
- 13 of a family die, truck plunges into ravine
- PM expresses concern over situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek
- Ex AJK SCBA Chief Raja Inam accuses AJK PM Anwar-ul-Haq of giving peaceful rights movement a violent turn in the State
- Zardari’s decision to nominate Governors for both provinces is a great decision: Zahir Latif
- CGH organizes a walk on World Blood Pressure Day
- Threatening to Govt officers remained the same in KP by PTI leadership Mansehra