Charlie Smith
SPANIARDS have been heading to the polls today for the country’s fourth general election in as many years.
More than 37 million voters have been casting their ballots to elect MPs to Spain’s 350-seat Parliament.
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The rise of the far right Vox party – predicted to make huge gains – and the Catalunya crisis over its jailed separatist leaders are some of the main issues in the minds of the electorate.
Vox is set to almost double its seats to 46 compared to the last general election in April, where it managed 24, according to the latest exit surveys.
Leader of the PP party Pablo Casado referenced the riots in Catalunya, as he said: “We have to try to guarantee political stability.”
The polls opened at 9am this morning and will close at 8pm, before the votes are counted and the result is announced early on Monday morning.
Some 22,000 schools have been set up as polling stations today for the country’s second general election this year.
Latest surveying from El Pais suggests Parliament will be split as follows: PSOE 117 deputies, PP (92), Vox (46), Podemos (35) and Ciudadanos (18).
In total Spain will elect 350 deputies and 208 senators, although it is likely that no party will be able to form a majority government.
Voter turnout at 14:00pm today was recorded at 37.93%, 3.6 points less than in April, reflecting Spaniards’ apathy at yet another election.
