Far right surges amid socialist win in Spain elections

Madrid, November 11

The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has won most of the seats in the country's fourth general election, but fell short of a majority while right-wing parties made major gains, it was reported on Monday.

The election on Sunday was necessitated after the PSOE fell short of a majority and was unable to form a coalition after the last polls which were held in April. With 99.30 per cent of the votes counted, the PSOE won 28 per cent of the votes, compared with 28.67 per cent in April, which translated into 120 seats in the 350-seat congress, compared with the 123 they won in April, reports Xinhua news agency.

The conservative Peoples' Party improved on their April performance, and came in second after winning 20.81 per cent of the votes and 88 seats, compared with their record low of 16.69 per cent and 66 seats in the previous polls. But the big winner was the far-right Vox party, which won 15.10 per cent of the vote and 52 deputies compared to 10.26 per cent and 24 seats in the April vote, to become the country's third most-powerful party.

Addressing PSOE supporters, Sanchez said, “I would like to make a call to all the political parties because they need to act with generosity and responsibility in order to unblock the political situation in Spain." —IANS