Politics
Rajoy on Sunday the hegemony of the Spanish conservatives played at the polls
Local and regional elections
(Source: Pool)
(Source: Pool)
Spain chooses this Sunday 8.122 mayors and 13 presidents of regional governments, a total of 17, plus the presidents of the North African autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. It is the first major electoral event this year -the other is the legislatives in November- and is the first serious test to the conservative Popular Party (PP), which supports the Government of Mariano Rajoy, and the socialist PSOE presented. These two major parties have shared power since the 80s of last century, but today many predict the end of the majority to rule.
But now, its hegemony, undeclared bipartisanship that has been unfolding in Spanish politics in recent decades, is threatened by the emergence of new formations that threaten to fragment the vote and kill the majority. Were to happen, the PP could be forced to agree to govern in Madrid, Valencia, La Rioja, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, regions where rules with sufficient majority for 20 years, and could only govern alone in Castilla y Leon. At least, so they say the polls.
But these are just predictions can or not confirm on Sunday night. From 9 am local time (7 am GMT), until 8 pm, 209,000 ballot boxes scattered throughout the country collect the votes of more than 36 million voters to the polls. In 21 cities there will be electronic tables, in a test that can make the future of voting in Spain. More than 1.5 million young are first-time voters. They are those who have reached the age of majority (18 years) after the previous elections. Some 90,000 police officers watch at polling stations.
There will be official information on participation at 14:30 pm and 6:30 pm. The first results with a high percentage of votes counted, close to 100%, will be announced at 10:30 pm. The mayors will be proclaimed on June 13. The Spanish Electoral Act provides that, if no party wins an absolute majority on Sunday, June 13th is proclaimed mayor number 1 in the most voted list. Thus the power vacuum that may occur in other regional governments is avoided in the municipalities.
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