Spanish voters put Socialists in pole position to regain power

[webfact]

Spanish voters put Socialists in pole position to regain power

By Elena Rodriguez and Jesús Aguado

 

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) speaks to supporter while celebrating the result in Spain's general election in Madrid, Spain, April 29, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

 

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, emerged from inconclusive elections on Sunday with a strong chance to regain power, though he faces weeks or even months of negotiations to assemble a government from a deeply divided new parliament.

 

In one of the country's most hotly contested elections in decades, the rise of nationalist party Vox split the right-wing vote, echoing fragmented parliaments across Europe where traditional groups have ceded to anti-establishment upstarts.

 

Spaniards cast their votes in numbers close to record highs with campaigning dominated by national identity and cultural values like women's rights rather than the economy.

 

This is the third national election in four years, after the first two eroded the decades-long dominance of the two biggest parties, the Socialists and the conservative Popular Party.

 

Neither the rightist or the leftist political bloc held a clear majority, according to a tally of results from the Interior Ministry with 80 percent of votes counted.

 

By party, Sanchez's Socialists led with 123 seats in the 350-seat parliament. The mainstream conservative People's Party (PP) stood at 65 seats, centre-right Ciudadanos ('Citizens') at 57 seats, far-left Unidas Podemos at 42 and far-right Vox at 24.

 

Supporters gathered outside the Socialist headquarters in Madrid chanting 'Long live Spain' and 'Long live Socialism'.

 

There was speculation before the election about a possible coalition between the Socialists and Ciudadanos despite both parties' leaders ruling out any tie-up.

 

If they were to forge an alliance, their parliamentary majority would mean that Sanchez would not have to seek the support of regional parties favouring Catalan independence.

 

However he would face a large bloc of right-wing lawmakers.

 

"Vox is without a doubt one of the big winners of the night," said Narciso Michavila, the head of GAD3 pollsters, as the group's success looked set to hand the far-right a sizeable presence in parliament for the first time since the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship of the 1970s.

 

The party, fierce opponents of the Catalan independence movement, had campaigned as guardians of Spanish history, customs and its survival as a nation.

 

Hundreds of people gathered outside Vox headquarters in Madrid for the vote count, waving Spanish flags and cheering.

 

In Spain, issues like mass immigration or euroscepticism that have dominated political discourse elsewhere have been eclipsed by the question of national unity and the threat posed by the Catalan independence movement.

 

"Catalonia has been the focal point of the campaign and it's what has made me vote for Vox. It's the party that most clearly fights against (Catalan) independence," said Alfonso Gomez, an unemployed 57-year-old, after voting in central Madrid.

 

The economy, one of the euro zone's star performers, took a back seat in campaigning across the political parties.

 

Spain had long been seen as resistant to the wave of populist nationalism spreading across much of Europe with many older voters remembering the military dictatorship of Franco that ended after his death in 1975.

 

"Many of us have voted to avoid the rise of the extreme right," said Anna, a 50-year-old care worker in Barcelona. She said she hadn’t voted in the last two national elections but decided to this time because she was concerned about Vox.

 

For a graphic on Spain election, see - https://tmsnrt.rs/2ENugtw

 

(Additional reporting by Andres Gonzalez, Belen Carreno, Isla Binnie, Jesus Aguado; Writing by Sonya Dowsett; Editing by John Stonestreet and Mark Bendeich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-29

[nervona81732]

The socialism/communism CANCER spreading like wild fire across the globe. Pay attention folks. This is a game changer. WAKE UP.

[Jonnapat]

1 hour ago, nervona81732 said:

The socialism/communism CANCER spreading like wild fire across the globe. Pay attention folks. This is a game changer. WAKE UP.

Rubbish, people are sick and tired of right wing governments looking after the rich and themselves. You don't  have to try too hard to see what's happening in right wing USA and UK. Not everyone is prepared to put up with these people in power.

[roobaa01]

as it is to be noted socialism is for losers, thats the message out of spain viva espania =hail spain, viva VOX =hail VOX next to italy lega nord, hungary fides, austria fpoe, sweden swedish democrats, france marie le pen, germany afd, poland, denmark, slovakia, czech republic, slovenja, croatia all these countries will cast a strong vote against socialism, muslim migration into europa on the eu election on the 24th may.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Ulic]

1 hour ago, Jonnapat said:

Rubbish, people are sick and tired of right wing governments looking after the rich and themselves. You don't  have to try too hard to see what's happening in right wing USA and UK. Not everyone is prepared to put up with these people in power.

Rubbish, the rise of the right is merely a response to the left bleeding heart PC crowd that has dominated politics throughout the West. Anchored in liberal arts education it has grown steadily. As I went through school at least 80% of teachers were NDP socialists. Two of them would regularly run for office when Federal and Provincial elections were called. Fiscal and socially, balance is what is needed, not extremism, but the pendulum has swung too far to the left which eventually has brought an upwelling of the right as people get sick of PC identity politics preached by the left.

[Jingthing]

Good news VOX got mostly crushed.

Bad news that they have now got a foothold in the Spanish government.

Democratic Socialism in Western Europe is more or less status quo.

VOX represents a move backwards to fascism. They actually admire Franco. What more do people need to know?!?

[Chomper Higgot]

18 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Rubbish, the rise of the right is merely a response to the left bleeding heart PC crowd that has dominated politics throughout the West. Anchored in liberal arts education it has grown steadily. As I went through school at least 80% of teachers were NDP socialists. Two of them would regularly run for office when Federal and Provincial elections were called. Fiscal and socially, balance is what is needed, not extremism, but the pendulum has swung too far to the left which eventually has brought an upwelling of the right as people get sick of PC identity politics preached by the left.

Across the developed world workers wages have over decades stagnated, the wealth divide has grown massively and in an attempt to keep fueling more wealth for the already rich governments have cut welfare and social programs, pension age has been pushed back, education costs have been hiked and public services have been privatized.

 

And you see left wing, liberal politics as the problem.

[roobaa01]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

National debt doubled, Trump borrowing $Trillions to fund a tax break for the hyper wealthy.

 

Just as well he inherited a booming economy from Obama.

the leftwing fairy tales have been exhausted like the socialism crap as to be seen in spain socialist cannot form a government based on a solid single majority. however they face a strong rightwing block

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Sir Dude]

Regardless of what side of the political spectrum you are in tune with, it is looking like Europe is becoming ever more hopelessly fragmented with weak coalition governments in charge that don't really have much of a mandate to do anything. According to the BBC then there are 5 parties with more than 10% of the vote with the winning socialists of Sanchez mustering a probably just decisive enough (but actually quite weak) 28.7% with the other 4 varying from 10% to 16% ... hardly ideal.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Sir Dude

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Ulic said:

people get sick of PC identity politics preached by the left.

Exact same with people getting sick of identity politics preached by the Right.

 

Analysts claim the rise of the Far Right is primarily due to concerns regards national unity i.e. push back against perceived mismanagement of the Catalan independence push. Currently looks as though the Far Right will not gain power in Spain

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/spain-goes-to-the-polls-in-contentious-snap-election/2019/04/28/553266c7-6e27-4ee6-b91d-2dbebe69ca9a_story.html?utm_term=.c1f967e2abb7.

Edited April 29, 2019 by simple1

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Rubbish, people are sick and tired of right wing governments looking after the rich and themselves. You don't  have to try too hard to see what's happening in right wing USA and UK. Not everyone is prepared to put up with these people in power.

 

The problem is the alternatives always appear to be left wing governments who look after themselves and their wannabee rich cronies. As proven time and time again.

[metisdead]

Off topic trolling posts and replies have been removed. 

[Mac98]

6 hours ago, Ulic said:

Rubbish, the rise of the right is merely a response to the left bleeding heart PC crowd that has dominated politics throughout the West. Anchored in liberal arts education it has grown steadily. As I went through school at least 80% of teachers were NDP socialists. Two of them would regularly run for office when Federal and Provincial elections were called. Fiscal and socially, balance is what is needed, not extremism, but the pendulum has swung too far to the left which eventually has brought an upwelling of the right as people get sick of PC identity politics preached by the left.

You are correct, although I would not vote for a rightist. The PC movement is a danger to society as there is never enough of it in the eyes of its supporters.

[Chomper Higgot]

Perhaps some in Spain are eager to be reminded of what past right wing governments have visited on on their country.

[malagateddy]

Brilliant Stuff[emoji2][emoji2][emoji2]

as it is to be noted socialism is for losers, thats the message out of spain viva espania =hail spain, viva VOX =hail VOX next to italy lega nord, hungary fides, austria fpoe, sweden swedish democrats, france marie le pen, germany afd, poland, denmark, slovakia, czech republic, slovenja, croatia all these countries will cast a strong vote against socialism, muslim migration into europa on the eu election on the 24th may.
 
wbr
roobaa01

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[baboon]

9 hours ago, nervona81732 said:

The socialism/communism CANCER spreading like wild fire across the globe.

Excellent! If only it was actually true...

[malagateddy]

Just a pity that socialist govts always seem to run out of other peoples money rather quickly..FACT.

Excellent! If only it was actually true...

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bomber]

1 hour ago, malagateddy said:

Brilliant Stuff

 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

no chance of you getting the wife into spain then ????

[malagateddy]

no chance of you getting the wife into spain then [emoji1787]

We have had wonderful times in the Malaga area.
Please try and keep up old boy

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bomber]

3 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

We have had wonderful times in the Malaga area.
Please try and keep up old boy

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

short stays old timer,no chance of her getting a long time ???? 

[baboon]

23 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

Just a pity that socialist govts always seem to run out of other peoples money rather quickly..FACT.

 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

And capitalist ones run out of other people's money bailing out their mates in the banking racket. FACT.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

Regardless of what side of the political spectrum you are in tune with, it is looking like Europe is becoming ever more hopelessly fragmented with weak coalition governments in charge that don't really have much of a mandate to do anything. According to the BBC then there are 5 parties with more than 10% of the vote with the winning socialists of Sanchez mustering a probably just decisive enough (but actually quite weak) 28.7% with the other 4 varying from 10% to 16% ... hardly ideal.

Apparently you don't understand the concept of co-operation between people who think 95% similar ways and differ 5% of the time. 

 

We Europeans are perfectly happy to talk to each others, even if we disagree on some matters. 

 

We can handle the idea that we are pretty much the same people while still disagree with some ideologies. We simply find compromises, which are good for all of us. 

 

You should try it sometime. 

 

Btw. We offer elections to our people. We don't fight elections. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Just a pity that socialist govts always seem to run out of other peoples money rather quickly..FACT.

 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

I think our scandinavian countries have done pretty well over the past decades. Our salaries and our pensions are way above what is being paid in for example in UK. 

 

We share our wealth to create better and happier societies for all of us. We pay our youth studies so that they can pay our pensions. We live in more holistic lifeview. 

 

That's socialism for us. Socialism combined with capitalism and humanism. Society. Well working society of us, the people. 

[rickudon]

Socialism or Capitalism? Which is best? Well, socialism may end up with a mediocre, sluggish economy, while economically Capitalism delivers more. BUT Capitalism delivers for the few, not the many. Privatisation of public utilities has often resulted in asset stripping and poor investment. Water companies in the UK were privatised, result was infrastructure assets being sold off or allowed to deteriorate due to lack of maintenance, but good dividends for shareholders (mainly offshore funds) for a number of years, Once the repairs started to build up, they just sold on to another company (based on their past wonderful dividends) who now had to rack up their prices to pay for repairs (paid for by their captive customers or government loans)...... Capitalism at work.

 

Spanish people still mainly socialist, they had enough experience of how right wing nationalism/Capitalism benefits them.

[bristolboy]

23 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Brilliant Stuff

 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

Even if loaded with exaggerations and errors. 

[malagateddy]

Even if loaded with exaggerations and errors. 

In your opinion[emoji6]

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bristolboy]

On 4/29/2019 at 11:38 AM, roobaa01 said:

as it is to be noted socialism is for losers, thats the message out of spain viva espania =hail spain, viva VOX =hail VOX next to italy lega nord, hungary fides, austria fpoe, sweden swedish democrats, france marie le pen, germany afd, poland, denmark, slovakia, czech republic, slovenja, croatia all these countries will cast a strong vote against socialism, muslim migration into europa on the eu election on the 24th may.

 

wbr

roobaa01

This listing just shows how confused someone can be. Lots of these anti-immigrant parties are by no means pro-capitalist or anti-socialist. Lots of them combine anti-immigrant sentiments with socialist economic policies.

Take for example Fides in Hungary:

".The Fidesz government has embraced a populist economic policy, including "public works job program, pension hikes, utility bill cuts, a minimum wage increase and cash gifts for retirees". It has also implemented a national public works program^[27] aimed in particular at assisting neglected rural communities.^[65] It has sought national control of key economic sectors while assuming a cautious stance on economic ^66]."^[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidesz#Economy_2

Swedish Democrates:

Ideologically speaking, the Sweden Democrats are a socially conservative party with a nationalist foundation, who want to preserve Swedish traditions, increase punishments for criminals and to invest more in care for the elderly. When it comes to economic policy, the party has planted itself in the centre and has lent its support to the red-green opposition parties as well as the centre-right alliance.

https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5933075

And in the case of Slovakia, you're just dead wrong: The winner of the 2019 Presidental Election was Zuzana Čaputová, a progressive who won with 58 percent of the popular vote:

"As a co-founding member^[13] of Progressive Slovakia, a non-parliamentary socially liberal and progressive party, she served as its Deputy Chair until March 2019, when she resigned due to her presidential candidacy.^[14] Čaputová was the party's candidate in the 2019 Slovak presidential election^[15] and proceeded to be elected president in the second round, after receiving over 58% of the vote and beating her opponent Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, an independent who was supported by the long-dominant Smer–SD party.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuzana_Čaputová

 

There's a lot more where that came from. Try to get a grip on the facts.

^[16]"

[bristolboy]

2 hours ago, malagateddy said:

In your opinion

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See above

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.

 

[JemJem]

Nice.

 

The world needs more socialists in power.

 

Islamist fascism and nationalist fascism are a big threat to humanity/civilisation.