The European Union

[LONDONER]

Two minor leftist Spanish parties opposed to the nation's deep austerity cuts have made big gains in the European Parliament elections, dealing a blow to the ruling center-right PP ( Popular Party) and the main opposition center-left PSOE (Socialist Party).

Preliminary results from the Interior Ministry gave the United Left and We Can parties 11 of the country's 54 parliamentary seats. The Popular Party took 16 and the Socialists won 14 — far fewer than predicted.

The vote Sunday demonstrated that Spain's political system has fragmented since the Popular Party won national elections in late 2011 with an absolute majority in the national Parliament.

Many Spaniards blame the Socialists for sending Spain into economic crisis but are angry with the Popular Party for invoking unpopular tax hikes like the Wealth Tax, and cuts to cherished government programs.

Long-standing separatist party, the Republican Left, won the European Parliament elections in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia on Sunday, official results showed.

The party captured 23.67 percent of the vote, beating the conservative Convergence and Union party, the biggest formation in Catalonia's local parliament, which came in second with 21.86 percent of the vote.

Both parties want to hold a referendum on independence from Spain on November 9, flying in the face of fierce opposition from the central government in Madrid.

Anyoner know what happened in Greece? The general trend in Europe seems that small, new parties are punishing the long established ones.

[HumbleTangerine]

In Italy the Democratic Party, which is pro-Eu and which is already the governing majority had a big result during these elections, with over the 41% (in 2009 they had the 26%)

I was a little afraid about the result in France, and obviously the xenophobe LePen had her victory... :-(
But more or less everywhere in Europe the right party is becoming bigger, so I'm not surprised of the results in UK and other places...

@Solemn, I admit my ignorance about Sweden political situation, I read something about it but I wanna see your opinion after the elections... And also the opinions of the other guys from every-where. ;-)
Any suggestion about Spanish situation?

Well, I'd love to give my thoughts on the subject but I'm afraid I don't really understand what you mean? What situation in Spain? I know the right-wing extremist forces are powerful in Spain, as in many countries, and that anti-abortion legislation is currently being worked out, but that's pretty much as far as my knowledge on Spanish politics goes.

As for the result in Sweden, I mourn the fact that our xenophobic, misogynist and homophobic political party got 2 mandates. I'm also sad to see 14/20 mandates go to parties with a neutral or positive approach to the union itself. It perplexes me that the democratic deficit isn't high-lighted more thoroughly. The system of the EU commission basically reduces the entire organization to a state of representative representative democracy (we elect governments that in turn elect EU commissioners). I personally voted for a candidate from the relatively far-left in a kind of desperate attempt to at least support anti-EU sentiments without simultaneously bringing power to racists.

I'm curious to see what the representative from our relatively new feminist party will accomplish, even though I don't really care for their national politics.

Overall I'm not particularly surprised by the results and I've turned my attention to the national election in September instead

[sillyboy86]

Well, I'd love to give my thoughts on the subject but I'm afraid I don't really understand what you mean? What situation in Spain?

Sorry, I didn't explain it well.
I'm curious to hear the opinion from the users from everywhere. Like you talking about Sweden, a Spanish talking about Spain. (Do we have someone from Spain here? LOL) etc.

For example I'm reading foreign media cause Italians media are talking a lot about some countries, snobbing others...

;-)

[HumbleTangerine]

@Sillyboy86

Oh, okay! Then I guess I already gave you what you asked for!

Of course I'd also like to see the opinions of people in other countries!