Conservative Popular Party Ousts Socialists in Spain

The conservative Popular Party--the party tied to the 1939-1975 fascist dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco--declared victory in Spain’s election Sunday, saying it had ended the scandal-plagued Socialists’ 13 years in power.

Jose Maria Aznar, leader of the Popular Party, told thousands of followers in a victory speech that he would represent “all Spain” as prime minister and pledged to offer “a hand held out in tolerance.”

Socialist Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez congratulated the Popular Party, which despite its origins is now widely regarded as center-right.

“We will be a rigorous but responsible opposition” party, Gonzalez told followers at party headquarters.

With 99% of the vote counted, the election commission said the Popular Party had won 157 seats in the powerful 350-seat lower house. The Socialists had 140 seats. The party with the most seats is given the first chance to form a government and choose a prime minister.

“I am very pleased to announce the Popular Party has won the election,” the party’s campaign director, Mariano Rajoy, declared after voting ended.

At those words, thousands of conservatives erupted in celebration outside the Popular Party headquarters, cheering, waving party flags and popping bottles of alcoholic cider.

Earlier Sunday, Gonzalez was heckled by bystanders who shouted “Get out!” and “Scoundrel!” at him as he went to vote.

During the campaign, the Popular Party attacked the four-term prime minister as corrupt, while he countered that a Popular Party victory would be a step back toward Spain’s days of repression under Franco.

But Aznar insisted that he represents the political center.

Turnout was high, with more than 78% of Spain’s 32 million registered voters casting ballots.

Some voters leaving Madrid polling stations dismissed as exaggerations the Socialists’ warnings that a Popular Party victory meant returning to past repression.

“The Popular Party wants to improve the economy--to tax us less and to create more jobs,” said Jose Miguel Bernardo Perez, 51.

But other voters were worried.

“I’m a little afraid of them. After all, I remember Spain’s many years under the right,” said a 42-year-old woman who would not give her name.

Aznar promised voters to fight corruption, try to create more jobs in a country with a 23% unemployment rate, balance the budget and cut Spain’s deficit.

He also plans to crack down on the armed Basque separatist group ETA, which has killed almost 800 people since 1968. Aznar himself survived an ETA bomb blast in April that destroyed his car.