Spain’s socialist party wins elections

Spain's center-left Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) won Sunday's general election, while a far-right party will enter the country's parliament for the first time since dictator General Franco's rule ended in 1975.

The far-right Vox party -- which takes a hardline on immigration and gender rights -- won 24 out of a total 350 seats, after bursting onto Spain's political scene last year.

In an election with 75.8% turnout, the governing PSOE took 123 seats, and will now seek the support of other parties to form a government, having fallen short of an overall majority.

Incumbent PSOE Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed supporters outside the party headquarters in Madrid after the result was confirmed.

“The Socialists have won the general election,” Sanchez declared, smiling broadly.

Hundreds celebrated in the street, waving red party flags and chanting ‘Long live Spain’ and ‘Long live Socialism’.

“Social democracy has a great future because it has a great present and Spain is an example of that. We will form a pro-European government to strengthen and not weaken Europe,” he added.

The result is likely to come as a relief for supporters of further European Union integration ahead of May 26 elections for European Parliament amid fears that Vox could have gained a share of power in Spain.

Spanish politics is fragmenting further, as PSOE's traditional rivals, the conservative People's Party (PP) won 66 seats, down from 137 in 2016's election.

For years Spain was governed by the PP or PSOE, but Podemos, Ciudadanos, and Vox have emerged in recent years, shaking up the two-party established order.

A total of 176 seats is required to control parliament, and neither the leftist nor the right-leaning bloc won the required amount. Center-right Ciudadanos won 57 seats while left-wing Unidas Podemos won 35.

With more than 98% of the vote counted the PSOE was declared a winner by Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Celaá Diéguez.

Spain is the only country in western Europe that has never been governed by a coalition government, though recent years have seen minority governments shored up by parliamentary alliances.