Spain’s traditional parties of both left and right took a fearful battering in local and regional elections on Sunday, with the ruling Popular Party facing losing control of Madrid for the first time in two decades.
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias immediately hailed former judge Manuela Carmena, who came out of retirement to fight for the capital for the upstart left-wing party, as the city’s new Mayor.
“Right now it is clear that a majority of people voted for a change, these people want change,” said the former Communist.
The PP hung onto its biggest party status in Madrid, but only just. Podemos, if they ally with the Socialists, will have a majority. The other big beneficiary of voter disillusion nationally was the centre-right Ciudadanos.
“There is a big party here in Madrid to celebrate Manuela Carmena putting an end to the absolute majority of the Popular Party. Now we’ll see what happens with the coalition talks, but the only thing for sure is that a new era has started i
