SPAIN-ELECTIONS/IGLESIAS REAX Spain's ruling PP gets worst local election result in 20 years

Record ID: 154039

  • Title: SPAIN-ELECTIONS/IGLESIAS REAX Spain's ruling PP gets worst local election result in 20 years
  • Date: 25th May 2015
  • Summary: IGLESIAS STRIKING FIST IN AIR, CLAPPING
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3VWAMT34XSGBOKNIB0C4NI443
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Spain's anti-austerity Podemos 'We Can' leader Pablo Iglesias celebrated on Monday (May 25) the results of the municipal and regional election and said he hopes this could be a first step towards a victory in the general elections expected to take place in November.
    Wearing his characteristic pony tail, Iglesias joined thousands of supporters celebrating the results in a ceremony next to the Reina Sofia museum.
    "I think this is a magic night in Spain. Probably this day is the starting day for the change. A year after the European elections we said the change is possible in Spain. Now this is a reality and I think this spring of change is going to bring us to the victory in the general elections in November against the Spanish PP," the leader told Reuters.
    New parties -- market-friendly Ciudadanos ('Citizens') and anti-austerity Podemos ('We Can') -- made strong headway, overturning a two-party system that has seen the PP and rival Socialists alternate in power since the end of dictatorship 40 years ago.
    In what could be a foretaste for a national election expected in November, the PP suffered its worst result in more than 20 years as Spain's economic rebound failed to conserve the absolute majority it held in most regions.
    Pablo Iglesias said the results showed the Spanish political scenario is changing.
    "I think the attendance is quite clear. I think there is much people wondering a change in this country. We have much work to do and everything is going to be very difficult, but I have the hope of this spring and I'm sure we will be able to defeat the People's Party in November in Spain," he said.
    Although the PP got more votes than any other party, along with the rival Socialists, it looked likely to fall short of overall majorities in most areas. So they would have to negotiate coalitions with minority parties in 13 of Spain's 17 regions that voted on Sunday alongside more than 8,000 towns and cities.
    Asked if Podemos is thinking about negotiating a coalition with the Socialists, Iglesias told Reuters it was not time to speak about agreements.
    "Today is not the day to talk about deals. We will analyse all the scenarios but today is a very special night of the change," he said.
    In Madrid city, where there has been a PP mayor since 1991, Rajoy's party marginally beat a leftist platform backed by Podemos and headed by 71-year-old retired judge Manuela Carmena.
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