Spansh Election Results

KingBrian2

New Spanish parliament is the order of the day. The Conservatives did not retain a majority and much of the opposition is made up of left wing anti austerity parliament. Difficult days lie ahead for PM Rajoy dealing with a hostile parliament.

http://www.politico.eu/article/spanish-pm-rajoy-comes-first-in-elections-exit-poll/

Manach

The main news article from last week on the election was someone punching the PM on the trail. I had spotted the book "Podemos" by Pablo Iglesias (on the leftist party mentioned in the OP's link) in Waterstones as well. So it looks like logjam of post-Franco politics is now moving in diverse ways.

HalloweenJack

Read the other day that the guy who punched Rajoy is a distant relative of his, a nephew of his wife, iirc.

As it stands, coalitions are on the way, which is funny because there's never been a coalition before and Spaniards seem totally bemused at the prospect of it.

Although PP are the largest party, nobody wants to form a coalition with them, while the Socialists and Podemos, second and third biggest parties, both *left-wing, don't have enough for a majority. Ciudadanos (centre-right, somewhat libertarian party) and PP can't make a majority coalition either and Ciudadanos more than likely wouldn't go for it.

Only majority coalitions possible at the momemnt are:
PP and the Socialists (213 seats) - lifelong enemies who are used to having total control of the country and don't know how to share and don't talk as if sharing would be a possibility, can't see it happening
PP and Podemos (192 seats) - the Francoist leftovers and the anti-austerity left (who PP supporters have been painting as the extremest of the left, on a par with Stalin), never going to happen
The Socialists, Podemos and Ciudadanos (199 seats) - the old left, the new left and right-of-centre, the most likely of the three as all three want to change parts of the constitution and have been banging on about corruption (an indemic problem in the PP) but still very unlikely

So it's new elections (which would probably lead to a similar situation) or coalitions. Every party wants to be in control and, as it stands, noone wants to accept being the junior partner. For the time being, I can't see anyone budging from their position.

PP and the Socialists have always governed with absolute majorities so they are afraid of the prospect of a coalition and don't want to share power, while Podemos and Ciudadanos will obviously be thinking they won't be able to make as much of an impact if they join up with others.

Rajoy is saying that the election winner should be the one who leads government and, in fairness, it's true but they need to convince someone to join them to have a majority, otherwise the Cortes will be a nightmare.

Tbh, it's a all a bit of an anti-climax and something of a deadlock, some serious compromising needs to happen and I've seen nothing from any of the parties to suggest they are capable of compromising.

*The Spanish Socialists, much like Labour here and in the UK, have moved towards the centre over the years. Podemos are the real left-wing alternative in Spain these days, the Socialists just say they are.

KingBrian2

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Read the other day that the guy who punched Rajoy is a distant relative of his, a nephew of his wife, iirc.

As it stands, coalitions are on the way, which is funny because there's never been a coalition before and Spaniards seem totally bemused at the prospect of it.

Although PP are the largest party, nobody wants to form a coalition with them, while the Socialists and Podemos, second and third biggest parties, both *left-wing, don't have enough for a majority. Ciudadanos (centre-right, somewhat libertarian party) and PP can't make a majority coalition either and Ciudadanos more than likely wouldn't go for it.

Only majority coalitions possible at the momemnt are:
PP and the Socialists (213 seats) - lifelong enemies who are used to having total control of the country and don't know how to share and don't talk as if sharing would be a possibility, can't see it happening
PP and Podemos (192 seats) - the Francoist leftovers and the anti-austerity left (who PP supporters have been painting as the extremest of the left, on a par with Stalin), never going to happen
The Socialists, Podemos and Ciudadanos (199 seats) - the old left, the new left and right-of-centre, the most likely of the three as all three want to change parts of the constitution and have been banging on about corruption (an indemic problem in the PP) but still very unlikely

So it's new elections (which would probably lead to a similar situation) or coalitions. Every party wants to be in control and, as it stands, noone wants to accept being the junior partner. For the time being, I can't see anyone budging from their position.

PP and the Socialists have always governed with absolute majorities so they are afraid of the prospect of a coalition and don't want to share power, while Podemos and Ciudadanos will obviously be thinking they won't be able to make as much of an impact if they join up with others.

Rajoy is saying that the election winner should be the one who leads government and, in fairness, it's true but they need to convince someone to join them to have a majority, otherwise the Cortes will be a nightmare.

Tbh, it's a all a bit of an anti-climax and something of a deadlock, some serious compromising needs to happen and I've seen nothing from any of the parties to suggest they are capable of compromising.

*The Spanish Socialists, much like Labour here and in the UK, have moved towards the centre over the years. Podemos are the real left-wing alternative in Spain these days, the Socialists just say they are.

Interesting times in Madrid. I wonder will this have the desired result that most Spaniards hope, seeing the dissolution of the two party system with something else, something new and exciting.