Spain's far right doubles seats in hung parliament

[webfact]

Spain's far right doubles seats in hung parliament

By Belén Carreño and Clara-Laeila Laudette

 

A man picks up a ballot as he prepares for voting during general election in Madrid, Spain, November 10, 2019. REUTERS/Susana Vera

 

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's far-right Vox party more than doubled its number of lawmakers in the country's fourth national election in four years, which delivered a highly fragmented parliament, according to a near-final tally with more than 95% of the votes counted.

 

The Socialists of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had gambled that a repeat parliamentary election would strengthen his hand, finished first but with fewer seats than in the previous ballot in April and further away from a majority.

 

The figures pointed to a legislative stalemate with neither the left nor right having a majority.

 

The outcome will require party leaders to be creative, negotiate seriously this time and, for some, swallow their pride.

 

The most likely outcome appeared to be a minority Socialist government. The bigger question would be who its allies could be and how long such a government could last in a very fragmented parliament.

 

With more than 95% of votes counted, the conservative People's Party (PP) was second and Vox third.

 

At this stage, Vox could get around 52 seats, up from the 24 seats with which it debuted in parliament in April. The increase in the number of votes was much smaller.

 

NATIONALIST SURGE

Spain had long appeared immune to a nationalist surge that has swept through other parts of Europe in recent elections, with many still remembering the military dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

 

But anger with political gridlock and with secessionist unrest in Catalonia appeared to have significantly boosted Vox's popularity.

 

"I feel very excited that there is a resurgence of values in Spain and this party seems to me the only one that defends them," Maria Dolores Cuevas, a 68-year pensioner, said at Vox headquarters.

 

France's far-right party leader Marine Le Pen congratulated Vox on Twitter, praising what she called his "staggering progress."

 

Casting her ballot for the Socialists in Madrid earlier in the day, 64-year old retired history teacher Esperanza de Antonio called the party a danger to democracy.

 

"I'm saying this because I've taught about fascism for 30 years," she told Reuters. Franco ruled Spain as an autocrat from 1939 to 1975, when he died.

ALLIANCES?

 

Following decades after Franco's death during which power oscillated between the Socialists and the PP, Spain has struggled to put stable governments together since new parties, latterly including Vox, emerged from the financial crisis.

 

Higher abstention rates on Sunday showed that voters are tired of being called repeatedly to the ballot box and that, if nothing else, that could help the parties reach a deal on forming a government.

 

According to the partial results, the Socialists were pegged at just over 28% and poised to win around 120 seats, just down from 123 they secured in the 350-seat house in April.

 

There seemed to be three possibilities to reach the 176-seat majority in parliament, all of them fraught with difficulties.

 

One would see PP abstain and allow Sanchez to lead a minority government.

 

Another would gather the majority that toppled the conservatives in a corruption scandal last year and first allowed Sanchez to become prime minister.

 

But that would require Catalan separatist lawmakers to back Sanchez, which would be hard to imagine at a time of such tensions with Catalonia.

 

A third option would be that market-friendly Ciudadanos, whose share of the vote was sharply down, would support the Socialists, alongside several regionalist parties.

 

Sanchez called the election betting that a new vote would strengthen his party's hand in negotiations after failing to forge the alliances needed to form a government on the basis of the April result.

 

(Reporting by Jesus Aguado, Ashifa Kassam, Clara-Laeila Laudette, Joanna Jonczyk-Gwizdala, Emma Pinedo, Joan Faus, Elena Rodriguez, Jessica Jones, Nathan Allen, Belen Carreno, Jesus Aguado; Writing by Andrei Khalip and Ingrid Melander; Editing by John Stonestreet and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-11

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[kingstonkid]

Why does this situation sound so familiar:   ????

[Brigand]

The winds of change are blowing over Europe and as Bod Dylan put it "The times they are a changing" ... slowly but surely. This sort of thing happens when the current prevailing situation is seen as having failed. The left has gone too far left. The average person in the street hasn't seen major benefits to their lives for all the nonsense they are asked to put up with and many see their traditions/lifestyles and values purposefully being eroded in front of their eyes for an amorphous blob of a culture that few can relate to properly. If anything, most people are being squeezed more than ever on multiple fronts with everything costing so much plus petty laws smothering everything now with society's Thought Police hovering everywhere. Not really surprising there is starting to be a counter reaction to it all ... and that's without even mentioning unemployment in places like Spain. Europe lost it's a way a while back.

[blazes]

Coming from a small country myself, I have lots of respect for those who fight for "small" government as opposed to the gigantic federalist governments of Europe and the US and Canada.

So, if in Spain Vox, supposedly of the "Right", manages to form some sort of alliance with the Catalan nationalists, I say "go for it, good luck".  As is often the case, the small jurisdictions (like Catalonia, Alberta, and the UK insofar as it was a member of the EU) have superior economies, usually achieved by hard work and sensible economic policies.

 

[blazes]

Good old Khunken....pray tell me why this opinion is "Sad"....(perhaps not nearly as "sad" as your pursuit of anything I post as being 'sad')...

[Scot123]

3 hours ago, Brigand said:

The winds of change are blowing over Europe and as Bod Dylan put it "The times they are a changing" ... slowly but surely. This sort of thing happens when the current prevailing situation is seen as having failed. The left has gone too far left. The average person in the street hasn't seen major benefits to their lives for all the nonsense they are asked to put up with and many see their traditions/lifestyles and values purposefully being eroded in front of their eyes for an amorphous blob of a culture that few can relate to properly. If anything, most people are being squeezed more than ever on multiple fronts with everything costing so much plus petty laws smothering everything now with society's Thought Police hovering everywhere. Not really surprising there is starting to be a counter reaction to it all ... and that's without even mentioning unemployment in places like Spain. Europe lost it's a way a while back.

Good summary and well said. 

[Scot123]

8 minutes ago, blazes said:

Coming from a small country myself, I have lots of respect for those who fight for "small" government as opposed to the gigantic federalist governments of Europe and the US and Canada.

So, if in Spain Vox, supposedly of the "Right", manages to form some sort of alliance with the Catalan nationalists, I say "go for it, good luck".  As is often the case, the small jurisdictions (like Catalonia, Alberta, and the UK insofar as it was a member of the EU) have superior economies, usually achieved by hard work and sensible economic policies.

 

Very true. Well said. 

[248900_1469958220]

I remember the 'left' of the 80's and 90's...it was a MUCH different beast. I used to say I was of the 'left' but now my views would be considered almost 'right' ....oh and by the way, in the latest Terminator movie apparently Arnolds character is now a curtain salesman, and all the heroes that kick butt are women....think I am kidding?

 

[puipuitom]

3 hours ago, Brigand said:

The winds of change are blowing over Europe and as Bod Dylan put it "The times they are a changing" ... slowly but surely. This sort of thing happens when the current prevailing situation is seen as having failed. The left has gone too far left. The average person in the street hasn't seen major benefits to their lives for all the nonsense they are asked to put up with and many see their traditions/lifestyles and values purposefully being eroded in front of their eyes for an amorphous blob of a culture that few can relate to properly. If anything, most people are being squeezed more than ever on multiple fronts with everything costing so much plus petty laws smothering everything now with society's Thought Police hovering everywhere. Not really surprising there is starting to be a counter reaction to it all ... and that's without even mentioning unemployment in places like Spain. Europe lost it's a way a while back.

The problem in Europe is, wealth is seen as automatic and granted.

When Spain got away from the Franco dictatorship, it was "as poor as a temple dog". Thanks to the EEC, AND.. the increased wealth, many could afford to go on holiday for 2-3 weeks and,.,.. not in their own area, but.. to the sun, in Spain. So, never seen such an explosion in hotel and other commodity building. Many European pensioners could afford to migrate to Spain, especially British.

This building boom is over now, as.. not only there is enough constructed, but also.. again ,... thanks to increased wealth, Europeans go on holiday to.. Thailand, Maldives, Bali, Caribbean, South Africa...aside of a sky-holiday in winter.

We are so rich, we even donot see it. In 1960 a TV did cost a 2 months’ salary, nowadays.. not even a ½ week salary. Nearly all have a car, quite some even two. Our houses are decorated our grandparents even could not imagine.

The problem is: agitation: persons like you, who tell, it goes so bad with us, steering up discontent. Especially blaming migrated persons, especially with a Muslim background. In Germany, 1/3 of all Syrians and Iraqi’s already have a job. The problem lies with persons, who used the chance to enter Europe, especially from Morocco, Algeria, and some Balkan nations. Thanks to austerity our police force has no strength anymore. But THAT.. is sanctioned by all voters.

[MRToMRT]

If they reduce taxes I would consider living there over here ;+) 

I wonder if they would become more internalized and xenophobic? I suppose by being right wingers they are naturally inclined to xenophobia? 

[Proboscis]

4 hours ago, Brigand said:

The winds of change are blowing over Europe and as Bod Dylan put it "The times they are a changing" ... slowly but surely. This sort of thing happens when the current prevailing situation is seen as having failed. The left has gone too far left. The average person in the street hasn't seen major benefits to their lives for all the nonsense they are asked to put up with and many see their traditions/lifestyles and values purposefully being eroded in front of their eyes for an amorphous blob of a culture that few can relate to properly. If anything, most people are being squeezed more than ever on multiple fronts with everything costing so much plus petty laws smothering everything now with society's Thought Police hovering everywhere. Not really surprising there is starting to be a counter reaction to it all ... and that's without even mentioning unemployment in places like Spain. Europe lost it's a way a while back.

You and the Vox voters clearly never experienced the poverty, lack of opportunity and suppression that was the norm during the Franco dictatorship era. If people think that the "thought police" are hovering everywhere now in Spain, they obviously do not remember the real secret police that the population lived in fear of when Franco was in power.

 

I am much more worried about the effect that Russian interference has been having on the Spanish election - Putin wants to get rid of the EU because he wants to destroy European unity any way he can so that he can expand his kleptrocrary without hindrance.

 

 

[GreasyFingers]

6 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Why does this situation sound so familiar:   ????

Because it is "democracy" in action, unlike many of the developed democracies that cannot be mentioned here.

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I remember the 'left' of the 80's and 90's...it was a MUCH different beast. I used to say I was of the 'left' but now my views would be considered almost 'right' ....oh and by the way, in the latest Terminator movie apparently Arnolds character is now a curtain salesman, and all the heroes that kick butt are women....think I am kidding?

 

And JAMES Bond is going to be a woman....more than likely not white and a partially disabled lesbian...

[sirineou]

6 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Why does this situation sound so familiar:   ????

Because the problem that Spaniards are reacting too is not only specific to Spain but an structural WorldWorldwide problem. And it is not a problem that will be solved any time soon, so expect to see much of the same elsewhere soon. Drowning men grasp at straws. 

1 hour ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

 in the latest Terminator movie apparently Arnolds character is now a curtain salesman, and all the heroes that kick butt are women....think I am kidding?

 

more closely reflecting reality.