The right wingers were actually in the lead until the bombings.
It looks like Al-Q (if its them) have actually changed the result.
Because a lot of Spaniards wanted nothing to do with the Iraq invasion it looks like part of the anger after the bombing has been focussed on the ruling party.
Many people who have never voted before turned out for this poll.
If it was deliberate, there's some seriously smart strategic thinking at work here.
The political direction of a pretty major country has been altered.
(The same tactic might actually work in the UK, but support is more evenly distributed here.)
-----------------------------------------
Spanish government admits defeat
Wounded Cayetano Abad voted to show "we cannot stand idle"
Spain's ruling Popular Party has admitted an unexpected defeat in the country's general election with almost all the votes counted.
The Socialists won 43% of the vote while the centre-right Popular Party has garnered 38%, reports say.
The poll has been clouded by claims that al-Qaeda carried out the Madrid bomb attacks that killed 200 people.
The Socialist's party Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is set to become Spain's new prime minister.
Officials say 63% of the electorate turned out to vote in the poll which ends eight years of conservative rule.
Mariano Rajoy of the ruling Popular Party has congratulated the socialists on their victory.
"We will have the interests of Spain at heart within the framework of our constitution," he said.
Investigation
Analysts said people had turned out in bigger numbers than predicted in order to defy the bombers who carried out last Thursday's attacks.
Investigations continue into who was behind the bombings.
Initially, the government was adamant the Basque separatist organisation Eta was responsible for the bombings, but now it has been forced to admit that al-Qaeda has become the top suspect.
This comes after a videotaped claim of responsibility by a man identifying himself as al-Qaeda's military spokesman in Europe.
A BBC correspondent in Madrid says criticism of the way government ministers handled the initial investigation into the attacks may have lost them the election.
Voters defiant after the horror of Thursday's bomb attacks
In pictures
But Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio told the BBC Eta was still a strong suspect, and said police were not ruling out a possible collaboration between Eta and al-Qaeda.
Three Moroccans and two Indians are being held in connection with the attacks.
Germany has called an urgent meeting of EU interior ministers to discuss the situation.
Black ribbons hung from polling booths and voters' lapels on Sunday.
Cayetano Abad, one of the 1,500 wounded in last Thursday's attacks, was driven to a polling station in an ambulance.
"I've come to show that everything carries on, that we cannot stand idle," he said, bandaged and wearing a neck brace.
Duty to vote
Many people admitted they had not planned to vote until the bombings.
"I have two friends who have never voted in their lives and they're going to vote in this one," said 41-year-old businessman Carlos Bermudez.
Outgoing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his wife were booed and jostled as they arrived to cast their votes.
As he tried to address supporters, he was drowned out by cries of "manipulators", "liars" and "peace".
Mr Rajoy - who was to have succeeded Mr Aznar if their Popular Party (PP) was returned to office - was also forced to find cover after youths hurled abuse as he voted.
The videotape was found in a litter bin on Saturday following an anonymous tip-off to a Madrid television station.
In the video, a man speaking Arabic with a Moroccan accent says the attacks were revenge for Spain's "collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies".
The Spanish government backed the US-led invasion of Iraq last year despite polls showing 90% opposition to it from the Spanish public.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3511280.stm
[This message was edited by eek on March 14, 2004 at 05:44 PM.]
It looks like Al-Q (if its them) have actually changed the result.
Because a lot of Spaniards wanted nothing to do with the Iraq invasion it looks like part of the anger after the bombing has been focussed on the ruling party.
Many people who have never voted before turned out for this poll.
If it was deliberate, there's some seriously smart strategic thinking at work here.
The political direction of a pretty major country has been altered.
(The same tactic might actually work in the UK, but support is more evenly distributed here.)
-----------------------------------------
Spanish government admits defeat
Wounded Cayetano Abad voted to show "we cannot stand idle"
Spain's ruling Popular Party has admitted an unexpected defeat in the country's general election with almost all the votes counted.
The Socialists won 43% of the vote while the centre-right Popular Party has garnered 38%, reports say.
The poll has been clouded by claims that al-Qaeda carried out the Madrid bomb attacks that killed 200 people.
The Socialist's party Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is set to become Spain's new prime minister.
Officials say 63% of the electorate turned out to vote in the poll which ends eight years of conservative rule.
Mariano Rajoy of the ruling Popular Party has congratulated the socialists on their victory.
"We will have the interests of Spain at heart within the framework of our constitution," he said.
Investigation
Analysts said people had turned out in bigger numbers than predicted in order to defy the bombers who carried out last Thursday's attacks.
Investigations continue into who was behind the bombings.
Initially, the government was adamant the Basque separatist organisation Eta was responsible for the bombings, but now it has been forced to admit that al-Qaeda has become the top suspect.
This comes after a videotaped claim of responsibility by a man identifying himself as al-Qaeda's military spokesman in Europe.
A BBC correspondent in Madrid says criticism of the way government ministers handled the initial investigation into the attacks may have lost them the election.
Voters defiant after the horror of Thursday's bomb attacks
In pictures
But Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio told the BBC Eta was still a strong suspect, and said police were not ruling out a possible collaboration between Eta and al-Qaeda.
Three Moroccans and two Indians are being held in connection with the attacks.
Germany has called an urgent meeting of EU interior ministers to discuss the situation.
Black ribbons hung from polling booths and voters' lapels on Sunday.
Cayetano Abad, one of the 1,500 wounded in last Thursday's attacks, was driven to a polling station in an ambulance.
"I've come to show that everything carries on, that we cannot stand idle," he said, bandaged and wearing a neck brace.
Duty to vote
Many people admitted they had not planned to vote until the bombings.
"I have two friends who have never voted in their lives and they're going to vote in this one," said 41-year-old businessman Carlos Bermudez.
Outgoing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his wife were booed and jostled as they arrived to cast their votes.
As he tried to address supporters, he was drowned out by cries of "manipulators", "liars" and "peace".
Mr Rajoy - who was to have succeeded Mr Aznar if their Popular Party (PP) was returned to office - was also forced to find cover after youths hurled abuse as he voted.
The videotape was found in a litter bin on Saturday following an anonymous tip-off to a Madrid television station.
In the video, a man speaking Arabic with a Moroccan accent says the attacks were revenge for Spain's "collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies".
The Spanish government backed the US-led invasion of Iraq last year despite polls showing 90% opposition to it from the Spanish public.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3511280.stm
[This message was edited by eek on March 14, 2004 at 05:44 PM.]
