The centre-right Popular Party (PP) won a resounding victory across the board in the regional and municipal elections, securing a ten per cent lead over their rivals, in a result seen as a precursor for general elections scheduled early next year.
Spain's Socialists lost control of traditional strongholds including the cities of Barcelona and Seville while the PP took Castilla-La Mancha, which had been governed by the socialists since the first democratic elections in 1979, four years after the death of dictator Gen Francisco Franco.
Pressure mounted for Prime Minister Zapatero to resign and call an early general election. But the socialist leader, who swept to power in 2004 and who has said he will not seek a third term, vowed to carry on reforms until the vote next March.
Conceding defeat, the prime minister blamed discontent on three years of economic crisis which has left Spain with a stagnant economy and 21 per cent unemployment, more than twice the EU average.
"We have suffered a broad setback compared to four years ago," he told a news conference after the first results came through, Sunday night. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Monday, May 23, 2011
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of Spain »
WIKI: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain »
