PP get more overall votes than PSOE but fewer Councillors

According to the results of yesterdays local elections held throughout Spain, the Partido Popular (PP) gained 35.60% of the overall number of votes (7,914,084) compared with 34.9% of the votes obtained by Spain’s ruling Socialist party PSOE (7,758,093). Even though the PSOE have 24,026 councillors compared with 23,347 for the PP, the PP has an overall majority in 2,871 town halls compared to just 2,322 for PSOE. This inevitably means that both parties are claiming victory.

The left wing Izquierda Unida party (IU) is now Spain’s third largest party having obtained 5.47% of the overall votes. The level of abstention was higher than elections four years ago – 63.78% Spanish population voted yesterday compared to 67.68% in 2003

The PP won a landslide victory in Madrid and Valencia (both in the Town Hall and Regional parliaments) but lost its overall majority in the Balearic Islands.

The PP also retained power in Castellon. The Regional governments of Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura remain in the hands of the Socialists, while La Rioja, Murcia, Castilla y León, Ceuta and Melilla voted once more in favour of their respective PP governments. The Socialists are expected to retain power in Aragon, Asturias and Cantabria by signing a pact with left-wing or regionalist parties.

In the Basque Country the ANV (backed by the political wing of ETA) got 120,000 votes and won control of town halls in Hernani, Mondragón, Oiartzun and Pasajes.
Odón Elorza (PSE) has retained his position as mayor of San Sebastian and Iñaki Azcuna (PNV) will also remain as mayor of Bilbao.

PSOE could take control of the town hall in Jaen, which is currently run by the PP, if it makes a pact with IU and PSOE will also retain power in Sevilla if it makes a pact IU although the PP received the most votes in the Andalucian capital in what was one of their best electoral performances in the traditionally left-wing Andalucia.