<p>Spain was thrust into political uncertainty Sunday after national elections left no party with enough support to form a government, most likely resulting in weeks of horse trading or potentially a new vote later this year.</p>.<p>Returns showed most votes were divided between the center right and center left. But neither the governing Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez nor his conservative opponents won enough ballots to govern alone in the 350-seat parliament.</p>.<p>While the conservatives came out ahead, the allies they might have partnered with to form a government in the hard-right Vox party saw their support crater, as Spaniards rejected extremist parties.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/cambodias-ruling-party-claims-landslide-win-in-one-sided-election-1239890.html">Cambodia's ruling party claims landslide win in one-sided election</a></strong></p>.<p>The outcome was an inconclusive election and a political muddle that has become familiar to Spaniards since their two-party system fractured nearly a decade ago. It seemed likely to leave Spain in political limbo at an important moment when it holds the rotating presidency of the European Council as it faces down Russian aggression in Ukraine.</p>.<p>With 99 per cent of returns in, the conservative Popular Party won 136 seats in parliament, compared with 122 for the Socialists.</p>.<p>But they had hoped to win an absolute majority and govern without Vox, which many of the party’s own officials consider anachronistic, anathema to Spain’s moderate values and dangerous.</p>.<p>“I feel very proud,” the party’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, said shortly after midnight, arguing before a crowd waving Spanish flags that since his party won the election, he had the right to form a government. He said his goal was to spare Spain a period of “uncertainty.”</p>.<p>Sánchez defied expectations, increasing his party’s seats in parliament and gaining enough support with his left-wing allies for now to block the formation of a conservative government.</p>.<p>“The Spanish people have been clear,” he said Sunday evening outside his party’s headquarters, arguing that a larger number of Spaniards wanted to stay on the progressive track.</p>.<p>The prime minister could potentially win another term if all the available parties opposed to the Popular Party and Vox backed him — an extremely difficult task.</p>.<p>Sánchez, who has governed Spain for five years, will remain as leader of a caretaker government as the composition of a new government, or timing of new elections, is worked out.</p>
<p>Spain was thrust into political uncertainty Sunday after national elections left no party with enough support to form a government, most likely resulting in weeks of horse trading or potentially a new vote later this year.</p>.<p>Returns showed most votes were divided between the center right and center left. But neither the governing Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez nor his conservative opponents won enough ballots to govern alone in the 350-seat parliament.</p>.<p>While the conservatives came out ahead, the allies they might have partnered with to form a government in the hard-right Vox party saw their support crater, as Spaniards rejected extremist parties.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/cambodias-ruling-party-claims-landslide-win-in-one-sided-election-1239890.html">Cambodia's ruling party claims landslide win in one-sided election</a></strong></p>.<p>The outcome was an inconclusive election and a political muddle that has become familiar to Spaniards since their two-party system fractured nearly a decade ago. It seemed likely to leave Spain in political limbo at an important moment when it holds the rotating presidency of the European Council as it faces down Russian aggression in Ukraine.</p>.<p>With 99 per cent of returns in, the conservative Popular Party won 136 seats in parliament, compared with 122 for the Socialists.</p>.<p>But they had hoped to win an absolute majority and govern without Vox, which many of the party’s own officials consider anachronistic, anathema to Spain’s moderate values and dangerous.</p>.<p>“I feel very proud,” the party’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, said shortly after midnight, arguing before a crowd waving Spanish flags that since his party won the election, he had the right to form a government. He said his goal was to spare Spain a period of “uncertainty.”</p>.<p>Sánchez defied expectations, increasing his party’s seats in parliament and gaining enough support with his left-wing allies for now to block the formation of a conservative government.</p>.<p>“The Spanish people have been clear,” he said Sunday evening outside his party’s headquarters, arguing that a larger number of Spaniards wanted to stay on the progressive track.</p>.<p>The prime minister could potentially win another term if all the available parties opposed to the Popular Party and Vox backed him — an extremely difficult task.</p>.<p>Sánchez, who has governed Spain for five years, will remain as leader of a caretaker government as the composition of a new government, or timing of new elections, is worked out.</p>