Spain's opposition centre-right People's Party (Partido Popular) leader Mariano Rajoy (R) picks up his identity card after casting his vote beside his wife Elvira Fernandez during the general election at a polling station in Madrid November 20, 2011. Spaniards voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that was expected to throw out the ruling Socialists and bring in a new centre-right government to tackle the country's dire economic situation.Reuters
Spain's opposition centre-right People's Party (Partido Popular) leader Mariano Rajoy (R) picks up his identity card after casting his vote beside his wife Elvira Fernandez during the general election at a polling station in Madrid November 20, 2011. Spaniards voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday that was expected to throw out the ruling Socialists and bring in a new centre-right government to tackle the country's dire economic situation.ReutersRajoy talks to reporters after casting his vote.ReutersSpain's outgoing Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero votes next to his wife Sonsoles, in Madrid. Spaniards threw out the Socialists after they were blamed for a disastrous economic situation.ReutersHecklers and supporters shout and applaud as police guide Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's car leaving the polling station where he voted.ReutersA voter checks his ballot inside a polling booth before casting his vote in Spain's general elections at a polling station in Madrid .ReutersA voter prepares to cast his ballot in Spain's general elections at a polling station in Pontevedra, northern Spain, November 20, 2011. Spaniards voted in a parliamentary electionReutersPeople queue to vote in general elections in Barcelona, November 20, 2011. Spaniards reeling from an economic crisis voted on Sunday in an electionReutersA People's Party supporter wears a photograph of leader Mariano Rajoy as supporters gather outside the party headquarters to wait for the results of Spain's general elections iReutersPeople's Party (Partido Popular) supporters wave banners as they gather outside the party headquarters to wait for the results of Spain's general elections in MadridReutersRajoy (C) acknowledges supporters from a balcony of the party headquarters surrounded by his wife Elvira and members of his party after claiming victoryReutersRajoy (R) embraces his wife Elvira at a balcony of the party headquarters after claiming victory in Spain's general elections in MadridReuters
The Spanish conservative party, the Popular Party, won the biggest parliamentary majority for 30 years after its leader Mariano Rajoy stormed to victory in yesterday's national elections.
The PP sealed 186 seats with the left wing PSOE party picking up 110. There were also some other significant gains for some extreme leftist parties which highlighted the problems the country face as it prepares for "decades" of poverty.
