Spain's ruling Socialists defeated in Catalonia

[Joanne98]

Source: AFP

BARCELONA, Spain — Voters hammered Spain's ruling Socialists over a biting economic crisis Sunday, turfing them from power in Catalonia in a bad omen for 2012 national elections, an exit poll showed.

The result was a blow to the central government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, battling market fears Spain could follow Greece and Ireland in seeking a humiliating EU bailout.

Catalans gave an overwhelming 63-66 seats to a moderate nationalist party, the Convergence and Union, and just 24-27 to the Catalan Socialist Party, said an exit poll by TV3 station.

If the poll proves correct, it would be the worst result in the 32-year history of the Catalan Socialist Party, which has ruled the wealthy northeastern region since 2003.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jDvCCh8S8LXc0zRla23gh_jP0bsg?docId=CNG.050a9c8c5fd91a430d7e435fcc325b90.961

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. Holy shit Cataluña is one of the more left leaning provinces in Spain. Bad omen indeed. nt

[Ghost Dog]

12. No surprise. The left coalition failed to coalesce.

Demonstrated an unacceptable degree of (economic, essentially) incompetence, I'm sorry to say.

Most people will be relieved, however, to observe a normally-functional elective democracy in action here, though, all the same.

CiU is moderate Catalan nationalist, and nowhere near the far-right, a lot of them, Castillian nationalists of the B*sh-loving Spanish PP, which gets nowhere in Catalan elections. Pragmatists, although having been demonstrated to be quite deeply corrupt, like almost all politicos around here (some say, all).

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

15. I misread the article. I got the parties mixed up. It actually makes more sense now. As I

remember (and you just mentioned) the PP is pretty much hated in Cataluña.

[sam sarrha]

2. Bu$h43 may still be able to destroy modern civilization, and with just a IQ of 90.. WOW.!!

[fascisthunter]

3. "ruling"

[Odin2005]

4. How in the FUCK?

:wtf:

[xchrom]

5. Voters are pissed and one of their few options

Is the ballot box.

Even if it isn't their 'best interest'.

[Xipe Totec]

8. Nose, meet scissors. Scissors, nose nt

[OlympicBrian]

6. Well Spain is the next EU country in trouble...

If you missed this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4632561

[LiberalFighter]

7. Was Freedom Works and the US Chamber involved?

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. However, Catalan nationalism doesn't translate to results elsewhere in Spain, by definition

It's possible that Spanish voters elsewhere will go to other parties, but they won't have the option of Convergence and Union.

[tabasco]

10. Somebody mention Spain?

HEEEEERE'S MACARENA!

[Ghost Dog]

13. Ah, allow me to recommend Jim Jarmuschs's latest great movie "The Limits of Control"

http://www.google.com/search?q=Jarmusch+limits+of+control

(For ironic Spain fans, especially).

No hablamos español, verdad.

[The Hitman]

11. Meh

Just a pendulum swing. Like what happened here a few weeks ago.

[reggie the dog]

14. this is not a right wing victory

they voted for centrist nationalists, not the economic right wing party.