Spain’s ruling People’s Party (PP) held onto its lead in the last polls before Sunday’s general election, but looked set to fall well short of a majority, leaving the door open to potential pacts. Surveys published on Monday suggested the conservative PP would top the poll, with the main opposition Socialists (PSOE) and two newcomers, liberal Ciudadanos and left-wing Podemos, following closely behind. No new polls are permitted under Spanish voting rules after the end of today. The fragmented vote is unusual for Spain, where the PP and the PSOE have traditionally alternated in power. A deep economic crisis marked by soaring unemployment and corruption scandals has broken their dominance, leaving many seeking alternatives.
With the last official survey on Dec. 3 showing as many as one in three voters were undecided or planning to abstain and the four main parties in such close proximity, the final outcome remains highly uncertain.
A minority government could also be on the cards, as Spain´s parliamentary system makes any number of ad hoc alliances possible should the winner fail to gain an outright majority.
Full Article: Spain’s ruling PP party consolidates lead, short of majority | Reuters.