Spanish Conservatives Sweep To Power, Rout Socialists

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/EU-Spain-Elections/2011/11/21/id/418650Socialists

Monday, 21 Nov 2011 06:07 AM


MADRID (AP) — Spain's opposition conservatives swept commandingly into power and into the hot seat Sunday as voters enduring a 21.5 percent jobless rate and stagnant economy dumped the Socialists — the third time in as many weeks Europe's debt crisis has claimed a government.

Awaiting words from victorious party leader and future prime minister Mariano Rajoy, thousands of jubilant, cheering supporters waving red-and-yellow Spanish flags and blue-and-white party ones gathered outside Popular Party headquarters in downtown Madrid as pop music boomed over loudspeakers.

With 90 percent of the votes from the election counted, the center-right Popular Party won 186 seats compared to 154 in the last legislature, while the Socialists plummeted from 169 to 110, their worst performance ever.

The PP thus won an absolute majority and resounding mandate from troubled electorate. It needed 176 votes for such a majority.

One supporter, David Cordero, said he was happy with the prospect of change so as to create jobs and protect social services like state-paid health care and education.

"This is what this country needs right now," he said.

The conservatives won roughly 44 percent of the votes and the Socialists took 29 percent, according to official election results.

The numbers suggest Spanish voters have shifted clearly to the right as they confront their worst economic crisis in decades and choose new leaders to pull them out of it.

As part of that mess, the country is also at the forefront of Europe's sovereign debt crisis, with the Spanish government's borrowing costs rising last week to levels near where other eurozone countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal had to request huge bailouts from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

Besides the recent changes in which Greece and Italy replaced their governments with teams made up of technocrats, Ireland and Portugal — which also required huge bailouts to avert default — also saw their governments change hands.

© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.




*** Funny, I see the same thing happening in the U.S. come 2012!

 

I'm curious what the Spaniards think will change with a new conservative government. The EU is calling the shots. Anyone who tries to go against the grain is immediately replaced with an appointee.

So unless the new government is going to host a referendum to withdraw from the EMU, I don't really see how jobs will suddenly be created.

Spain needs it's own currency and a default on it's debt. They can't get that in the EU.

 

I saw a news story about this on the BBC last night. If I recall correctly, they voted this guy in although he did not have any kind of details on his plans for recovery. I am doubting that this election will have any positive consequences or even lead Spain off the track they are currently on. As you know, in America, there is very little difference between "Conservative" and "Liberal" policies, it's just a title people put on the two party politicians to make it seem like there is some kind of choice.

Also, in the video I saw, the dude got voted in, but his wife (or just some lady?) was hogging all the air time lol

 

That will bankrupt nearly all of Spain's citizens whose assets are denominated in "its own currency". How is it that Spain (or any country) NEEDS that??

 

How do you propose to fix Spain if it cannot devalue, and has to pay back all of the debt it owes? As far as I know, Spain's citizens have their assets in Euros. How will this bankrupt them?

It is a mathematical impossibility. Unless, of course, the country finds cold fusion or some magical new technology that allows it to grow itself at a rate of 5% for the next decade.

 

Spain likely WILL "fix".. but that fix will include bankrupting nearly all of their citizenry.

"Pay back debt" with devalued currency-units? How is that "paying back"? (You lend me money, I pay it back with Monopoly script?)

Spain's citizens have their assets in Euros NOW.. .but when they leave the EU and adopt their local currency... after the conversion, their worthless currency will bankrupt them.

"It's a mathematical impossibility"... BINGO! LOTS of pain to be suffered regardless. Whether through formal default or "technical" default via currency destruction... lots of sombodys gonna take it in the neck.

THERE AIN'T NO SOLUTION... other than SOMEBODY taking the pain. Only question is whether it will be primarily (1) bondholders and those who perpetrated the mess... like banks, or (2) EVERYBODY!

Probably too late, but perhaps the world will learn a lesson about rampant and excessive debt creation and deficit spending.

 

This is funny. The Spaniards voted out the conservatives after Al Queda attacked them and the liberals wanted to appease the terrorists. Now they want the conservatives back? What are they going to do when Al Queda threatens them again? Run back to the liberals?

 

"One supporter, David Cordero, said he was happy with the prospect of change so as to create jobs and protect social services like state-paid health care and education."

So that's what "conservative" is in Spain? Sure doesn't sound like ours.

 

Funny? Just wait until the RepubliClowns have both houses and the Presidency... and they also have no solution to the jobs issue. They will be in power for one term, then flip-flop... back and forth with lots of jawing but no real remedies from either side...

 

Ok, so you essentially regurgitated exactly what I said originally.