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| Socialists win Spanish elections | Socialists win Spanish elections |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's ruling Socialist Party has won Spain's general elections. | |
| With 96% of votes counted, the Socialists were set to win 169 seats, short of the 176 needed for an absolute parliamentary majority. | |
| Mariano Rajoy's conservative Popular Party was projected to win 153 seats. | |
| Mr Zapatero thanked jubilant supporters for a "clear victory" and pledged to open a "new period" in Spanish politics after a bitter campaign. | |
| "The Spanish people have spoken clearly and have decided to open a new period without tension, without confrontation," he told the flag-waving crowd gathered outside his Socialist Party's Madrid headquarters. | "The Spanish people have spoken clearly and have decided to open a new period without tension, without confrontation," he told the flag-waving crowd gathered outside his Socialist Party's Madrid headquarters. |
| The BBC's Johnny Dymond in Madrid said his tone was emollient, after what has been a bad-tempered battle for votes. | |
| Mr Rajoy, the prime minister's leading rival, congratulated Mr Zapatero. | |
| "I have called the candidate of the Socialist Party and I have wished him luck for the good of Spain," he said. | "I have called the candidate of the Socialist Party and I have wished him luck for the good of Spain," he said. |
| High turnout | High turnout |
| Pio Garcia Escudero, the PP's campaign co-ordinator said Sunday's elections results had also been good for the PP, which previously held 148 seats. | |
| "The number of votes we have won has risen considerably from 2004, as has the number of seats," he said. "That gives us enormous satisfaction." | "The number of votes we have won has risen considerably from 2004, as has the number of seats," he said. "That gives us enormous satisfaction." |
| class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7286792.stm">In pictures: Socialists' win | |
| Reporting from the Socialist Party headquarters, our correspondent said a huge roar went up from supporters as Mr Zapatero came out to address them. | |
| Although the party has increased its number of seats from 164, he says it will still have to go into an informal coalition, probably with the largest Catalan nationalist party. | |
| Despite attempts to attack the ruling party on the faltering economy, immigration and accusations of being soft on terrorism, the PP failed to make the charges stick, our correspondent says. | |
| Credit crunch | |
| The elections were marred by Friday's killing of the former Socialist councillor, Isaias Carrasco, in the Basque Country. | The elections were marred by Friday's killing of the former Socialist councillor, Isaias Carrasco, in the Basque Country. |
| Police have blamed Basque separatists for the shooting, which brought election campaigning to an early close, but so far no group has claimed responsibility. | Police have blamed Basque separatists for the shooting, which brought election campaigning to an early close, but so far no group has claimed responsibility. |
| Sunday's turnout nearly matched the level of Spain's 2004 electionsIn 2004, voters turned out in high numbers - galvanised by the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people three days earlier - to give Mr Zapatero a surprise victory over Mr Rajoy's conservative government. | |
| However, the economy has been a key issue this time. | |
| After a decade of good growth, Spain's economy is stuttering. Inflation is at a 10-year high and unemployment is the highest this century. | After a decade of good growth, Spain's economy is stuttering. Inflation is at a 10-year high and unemployment is the highest this century. |
| The Spanish housing boom is dwindling, exacerbated by the global credit crunch. | The Spanish housing boom is dwindling, exacerbated by the global credit crunch. |
| Mr Rajoy's conservative opposition party focused on immigration, a bigger issue than in previous polls. | Mr Rajoy's conservative opposition party focused on immigration, a bigger issue than in previous polls. |
| The Socialists, meanwhile, highlighted the liberal reforms of their time in office, including the introduction of a gender-equality law, fast-track divorces and same-sex marriage. | The Socialists, meanwhile, highlighted the liberal reforms of their time in office, including the introduction of a gender-equality law, fast-track divorces and same-sex marriage. |
| Spain's 35 million voters were electing 350 members of the Cortes, or lower house of parliament, and 208 members of the 264-member upper house, the Senate. | Spain's 35 million voters were electing 350 members of the Cortes, or lower house of parliament, and 208 members of the 264-member upper house, the Senate. |
| The remaining 56 Senate seats are decided by indirect election by assemblies in Spain's 17 autonomous regions. | The remaining 56 Senate seats are decided by indirect election by assemblies in Spain's 17 autonomous regions. |