Spain: Socialists defeated to Conservatives in local and regional elections

May 23, 2011
 

Spain - MAP - The Spain's ruling Socialists suffered a crushing defeat to conservatives, Popular Party (PP), in local and regional elections, yielding power even in traditional strongholds.

The results of the elections seen by many experts as “historical” for the government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The win for the conservative opposition Popular Party puts it in an even a stronger position to win the general elections to be held March 2012 and after eight years of Socialist rule.

The Popular Party won at the municipal level by about two million votes, compared to 150,000 in its win in 2007, and in 13 regional governments like Barcelona and Seville that were up for grabs, Zapatero's party lost virtually all of them. One was Castilla-La Mancha, where the Socialists have always held power.

This lost reflects government’s inaction policy with the jobless rate, in addition it considered as defeat to the King Mohamed VI’s regime in Morocco who gain support of Zapatero’s government.