Spain: Parties face robust talks after inconclusive election

The Socialists came second with 90 seats and could seek a coalition with other leftist groups. It is a phase of unprecedented ungovernability for the country: the only certainty is that the next government will have to be supported by a coalition yet to be determined and that is very reminiscent of the Italian political scene. With more than 99% of the votes counted, Mariano Rajoy’s incumbent centre-right People’s Party (PP) had 29% and was set to command 123 out of 350 seats in Parliament – the biggest bloc though well short of a majority.

“This is still the first political force in Spain”, said Rajoy from the balcony of his party headquarters in Madrid.

Ciudadanos’ leader, Albert Rivera, said Monday that his party and the Socialists should abstain in the Parliament vote and give the Popular Party a possibility of forming a minority government.

His party could look to Podemos and Ciudadanos t form a so-called “coalition of losers”. The emerging parties Podemos and Citizens will enter Parliament for the first time after winning 69 and 40 seats.

Vincenzo Scarpetta, an analyst at Open Europe, a political think-tank in London, said Sunday’s results left Spain in “total uncertainty”, especially since “coalition talks will be hard, given the animosity between the parties”. “But if the alternative is leaving the country without a government, the pressure will be on the parties”.

The political climate in the country has shifted as newcomers Podemos and Ciudadanos made significant gains at the polls, ending a almost three-decade long tug-of-war between the ruling Popular Party (PP) and veteran opposition Socialist Party.

Rajoy’s best chance would seem to be with Ciudadanos – due to their shared center-right, business-friendly politics – but the party has ruled out supporting Rajoy as prime minister, chiefly because of corruption cases in his party.

Voters came out Sunday to elect representatives to the lower house and senate.

Voter turnout at Spain’s general elections on Sunday exceeded more than 58 percent, slightly up from 57.7 percent at the last such elections in 2011.

Mr Rajoy’s job reforms proved unpopular, but are expected to rebuild the Spanish economy.

Spain’s far-left anti-austerity party Podemos – similar to Greece’s Syriza party – enjoyed unprecedented support, showed election results.

But unemployment remains stubbornly high at more than 21 percent.

Rajoy’s administration has also been hurt by his U-turn on a promise not to raise taxes and by cuts to national health care and public education.

Many Spaniards are poorer now than they were at the time of the last election, fuelling the rise of Podemos.

This can not take place until after the new Congress holds its inaugural meeting on 13 January. He has raised questions about his future as the Popular Party leader, however, by including his deputy, 44-year-old Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, on campaign posters.

“We are about to begin a period that won’t be easy”, admitted Rajoy, who was first elected in 2011 and has earned the approval of the euro zone’s most powerful country, Germany, for tightening the reins on Spain’s spendthrift economy. At 36, he is the youngest candidate, and his moderate, business-friendly policies plus a pledge to crack down on corruption have attracted voters.

Rivera, the leader of Citizens, told his supporters, “Spain is starting a new political era and is doing so because millions have decided that Spain will change”.