Election Re-Run In Spain Would Result In Another Hung Parliament: Poll

MADRID: A third election would do little to break Spain's political stalemate, with the People's Party (PP) of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy seen winning the vote but coming far short of a parliamentary majority, an influential poll showed today.

Spain is already eight months into a deadlock created by two inconclusive elections. Parties on the right and left have so far struggled to come to terms to form a government, hampered by old rivalries and disputes ranging from economic policy to leadership questions.

The PP was the only one of Spain's main four parties to win more seats in parliament on June 26 compared to Dec. 20, raking up 137, though that was still be short of the 176 needed for a majority in the 350-strong lower house.

If another election were held the PP would get 32.5 percent of the vote, the survey by official pollster CIS showed, down slightly from the 33 percent it scored in June. The poll did not give an estimate of parliamentary seats.

The Socialists, the main rivals of the PP for past four decades, would come second with a slightly better result, on 23.1 percent versus 22.7 percent at the last election.

An alliance of far-left parties, Unidos Podemos ("Together We Can") would come third with 19.6 percent of the vote, down from 21.1 percent on June 26, while liberal Ciudadanos ("Citizens") would come fourth with 12 percent, down from 13 percent.

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