In Madrid
Much as predicted by most opinion polls, the Socialist government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has been returned to office in Spain.
According to the latest counting, the Socialists have won 169 of the 350 seats in the Parliament - up from the 164 seats they won at the 2004 elections.
The opposition Popular Party has so far won 154 seats, compared to 148 seats at the last elections, with the rest going to a swag of nationalist parties and coalitions.
Which means the Socialists will continue to govern but without a majority.
It also means that we can expect no significant change in the Spanish position regarding the Castro regime – a case of more of the same “dialogue” on the basis of what the Cubans describe, usually with a big grin on their faces, as “mutual respect”.
In other words, the Spaniards will politely refrain from mentioning political prisoners. Or dissidents. Or the need for change. Or multi-party democracy. You know what I mean ...
Still, there is one great positive out of the Spanish vote.
As our friends at Penultimos Dias have pointed out, the left-wing coalition known as Izquierda Unida – the old Communist Party – has been thoroughly trounced, reduced to just one or possibly two seats in the Parliament.
The Izquierda Unida coalition and its current leader, Gaspar Llamazares, have been among the most enthusiastic (and shameless) apologists of the Castro regime in Western Europe.
For more on the count, you can visit www.elmundo.es or www.elpais.es
According to the latest counting, the Socialists have won 169 of the 350 seats in the Parliament - up from the 164 seats they won at the 2004 elections.
The opposition Popular Party has so far won 154 seats, compared to 148 seats at the last elections, with the rest going to a swag of nationalist parties and coalitions.
Which means the Socialists will continue to govern but without a majority.
It also means that we can expect no significant change in the Spanish position regarding the Castro regime – a case of more of the same “dialogue” on the basis of what the Cubans describe, usually with a big grin on their faces, as “mutual respect”.
In other words, the Spaniards will politely refrain from mentioning political prisoners. Or dissidents. Or the need for change. Or multi-party democracy. You know what I mean ...
Still, there is one great positive out of the Spanish vote.
As our friends at Penultimos Dias have pointed out, the left-wing coalition known as Izquierda Unida – the old Communist Party – has been thoroughly trounced, reduced to just one or possibly two seats in the Parliament.
The Izquierda Unida coalition and its current leader, Gaspar Llamazares, have been among the most enthusiastic (and shameless) apologists of the Castro regime in Western Europe.
For more on the count, you can visit www.elmundo.es or www.elpais.es
Photograph: Associated Press
posted by Luis M Garcia at 10:50 am
2 Comments:
As our friends at Penultimos Dias have pointed out, the left-wing coalition known as Izquierda Unida – the old Communist Party – has been thoroughly trounced, reduced to just one or possibly two seats in the Parliament.
yep , but who won the presidency .... oh yea!!
Yeah but who has to live with stupid socialism?
Oh yeah!
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