https://www.npr.org/2019/04/29/718164455/socialists-win-in-spanish-election-far-right-party-gains-seats-for-first-timeSpain's center-left Socialist party, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, was victorious in Sunday's general election. The party took 29% of the vote, winning 123 seats in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies.
But in order to advance, the Socialists will have to work with smaller parties to reach the 176 seats required to form a coalition government. It's unclear what such a coalition might look like; even if it partnered with the far-left United We Can party, which won 42 seats, that left-wing alliance wouldn't have enough seats to control the government.
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While the mainstream conservative People's Party failed to thrive, the far-right Vox party picked up seats for the first time since Spain became a democracy just over 40 years ago. Vox took about 10% of the vote, or 24 seats.
Vox takes tough positions against immigration and feminism, and opposes the Catalonian push for independence. Its ideology — fringe until recently — will now have official representation in the country's government.
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