Spanish vote delivers more uncertainty for Europe after Brexit

[Eugene]

Last edited Sun Jun 26, 2016, 08:06 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: Reuters

Spanish elections delivered a hung parliament for the second time in six months on Sunday, adding to political uncertainty in Europe after last week's shock Brexit vote and piling intense pressure on Spain's warring politicians to form a government.

Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's centre-right People's Party (PP) again emerged with the single biggest bloc of seats but fell short of a majority, leaving the euro zone's fourth-largest economy at risk of another lengthy political stalemate.

The PP was the only major party to increase its share of seats from December's inconclusive poll, sapping the power of a wave of new parties which had fed on years of deep recession and public anger over corruption scandals within the major parties.

"We have won the elections," Rajoy told hundreds of cheering supporters outside PP headquarters in Madrid late on Sunday.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-election-idUSKCN0ZB0XY

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World | Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:32pm EDT
MADRID | BY JULIEN TOYER AND SONYA DOWSETT

EDIT: Article updated at link

Previous Reuters headlines at link:
• Spain's conservatives win most seats in election, far left rises
• Support for Spain's conservative party surges days after Brexit

[ellenrr]

1. thank you. this is exit poll... any idea when results will be known? nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. TheLocal says results start coming in at 10:30pm

which I presume is Central European Time, ie about 50 minutes from now.

http://www.thelocal.es/20160626/spain-election-results

That, however, looks more likely to be when teh complete result is known - El Pais has an updating graphic on its front page, and that's up to 58% counted by now

http://elpais.com/

It currently shows PP at 134 seats, Socialists 91, U Podemos 71, C 29. Whether that's a projection taking into account the kind of regions the votes have been counted in so far (in which case the exit polls were way out for the Socialist/Podemos split), or just a straight assumption that everything will stay in the same proportion, I don't know.

There's a similar graphic at The Guardian, but I don't know how often it updates: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/26/spanish-elections-exit-polls-show-deadlock-likely-to-continue

[ellenrr]

2. btw, there is no "Europe" group is there? I can't find one. I mean at DU. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Looks like the Socialists have stayed ahead of Unidos Podemos after all

With 94.81% counted, El Pais has PPP at 137 seats (+14), PSOE 85 (-5), UP 71 (+2), C 32 (-8)

http://elpais.com/

[ellenrr]

5. Euronews is covering the election live. Podemos is speaking right now at a news conference. nt

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Far left-wing party Podemos failed to gain any seats and may in fact have lost a couple.

Unexpected repudiation of their anti-austerity, anti-EU platform.

[ellenrr]

7. maybe not..."Podemos Represents a Permanent Challenge to Neoliberalism"

"Unidos Podemos is now the third largest political force in Spain, only a few years removed from the founding of Podemos.
The results of the June election prove that the success of the leftist party in the last elections was not a fluke and now represents a permanent challenge to neoliberalism in Spain and Europe.

According to Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias, the coalition between Podemos and the United Left is here to stay and expects to form the Spanish government."

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/contenidos/2016/06/26/noticia_0029.html

Why do you call them "far-left"?
Podemos came directly out of the Indignados movement,
it represents the working-class people.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. According to BBC World Service commentators, they are considered far-left. I used the BBC's

characterization in the headline.

Regarding their future as a major power player in Spanish politics, the jury is still out.

[ellenrr]

9. it's not surprising bbc would use that characterization. I wouldn't...

I think it is a demeaning term --
and actually, what does it mean?

[Surya Gayatri]

10. You might want to pose the question directly...here are some contact links to do that:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/contact#radio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/radio/complaints_process

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

How to make a complaint

Online: Make a complaint
Gwneud cwyn

Phone: [phone]*
03700 100 212* (textphone)
*24 hours, charged as 01/02 geographic numbers

Post: BBC Complaints
PO Box 1922
Darlington
DL3 0UR
What happens to your complaint

Beth sy’n digwydd i’ch cwyn
Corrections and clarifications

[ellenrr]

11. thank you. BBC doesn't care what I think...

perhaps you will think about characterizations...

[Surya Gayatri]

12. Oh, but they do. They actively solicit listener commentary and have a whole weekly programme

dedicated to feedback.