Spanish PM’s conservative party gains most seats, still lacks majority
Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative People's Party (PP) has won most seats in the parliamentary elections but it is still short of a majority, a fact which could lead to another lengthy political stalemate.
Spaniards took part in repeat election on Sunday in an attempt to break the country’s worst political stalemate in recent history.
“We have won the elections," said Rajoy."We claim our right to govern."
"It's been hard, it's been difficult, it's been complicated, but we put up a fight for Spain," he said.
According to official results, PP took 137 seats in the 350-member parliament, the Unidos Podemos coalition led by anti-austerity party Podemos came in second with 71 seats while the Socialists party gained 85. Liberal Ciudadanos came in fourth with 32 seats.
"The results are not satisfactory, we had different expectations," said the Unidos Podemos leader, Pablo Iglesias.
Polls opened at 0700 GMT and closed at 1800 GMT. Some 36 million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the elections.
Despite having the highest number of seats, the PP still needs the support of other parties to establish a coalition or minority government.
No single party won enough votes to form a majority government in elections in December last year and the political parties that won seats in the parliament failed to form a coalition.
Following a six-month power struggle, the parties have vowed to quickly reach a coalition this time, but the results hint at a similar stalemate as before the vote the Socialists said they would not back a government led by Podemos or the PP.
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