Today 34 million spaniards are going to vote candidates for councils and for some "Comunidades Autónomas" (autonomous communities, our regional governments), with the exceptions of Galaecia, Catalonia, The Basque Country and Andalucia (which have their own elections and have the right to make them whenever the regional president steems oportune).

I have already voted and then I have had an apetizer (some tapitas) with my family, in order to conserve good traditions

Fernando

I´m here in Madrid, watching with interest the proess of voting here. It makes so much sense to me to hold elections on Sunday when there are fewer excuses for not voting. Wish the US would take this up.

On average, what is the voter turnout like here? They were commenting on the afternoon news that the percentages so far were up as compared to 1999.

Also, as your post suggested Fernando, is having tapas after voting part of the tradition here? If so, that´s another thing I wouldn´t mind seeing the US copy!

Liz, that's exactly what all my American friends say about voting on Sundays!

I think the '"tapitas"' thing might be more related to this Sunday's beautiful weather than to a real widespread tradition, he, he! But Fernando and his family's idea is great! It sort of sounds like: the family that votes (and THEN enjoys a nice 'aperitivo') together, stays together!)

The many TV specials today are showing that so far it looks like the PP/conservative party keeps the 'alcaldía' of Madrid, which means Alberto Ruiz Gallardón would be the new mayor of Madrid, but that there's a possibility that PSOE/the socialists, by means of an strategic coalition with IU/the communist party, might win over the presidency of the Comunidad de Madrid.

We'll keep you posted!
(I must say these elections are being quite intriguing! )

I was in Madrid yesterday, and had hoped to take my wife for a visit to the Royal Palace. Lo and behold, when we got there we found out that the palace was closed to visitors because of the elections. This morning at the airport I read in the ABC that the "PP" had won. Of course, that didn't mean anything to me because I don't know what "PP" is. What does it stand for? Then, I read in Pim's note something about the Commies maybe winning the Presidency of Madrid? What does that mean? I love Madrid--but I hate Commies. -OhMike

Nope! Finally, (after all the counting was completed) last night we learned that the PP or Partido Popular, the right wingers, are going to keep ruling on both the 'alcaldía'(city hall?) and the Comunidad de Madrid Presidency.

As always, every party says they have won

PP (Partido Popular, current national government) claims to have won more councils and autonomous communities than any other, while PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español, socialists) claims to have obtained more votes overall, even IU (Izquierda Unida, communists) says that the results are very positive because they would be able to decide in some places which party will rule (though they have lost votes, councilmen and councils...).

As far as I know (Pim correct me if I'm wrong), and what is important for us madrileños, is that the capital city (Madrid) is going to have a PP major (Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón) and that the community/province will have a socialist (PSOE) president (Rafael Simancas). Here PP has also won, but an alliance between socialists and communists has one more senator than PP, so they will remove PP from presidency.

Fernando

Yes, sorry, my mistake, yesterday I spent all day out and about and when I arrived home past midnight I guess I got a piece of misinformation....cause NOW, it turns out the PSOE (because of the aforementioned alliance) has won over the 'Presidencia de la Comunidad de Madrid'.
(I must clarify though, that this is not a Gore-Bush election type of thing, the results can never be final until the votes received by mail by Spanish citizens living abroad are accounted for which usually happens the day after the elections, and Fernando has already given an explanation about PSOE and IU's "little trick").

PIM,

Have they finally decided who will control the autonomous gonverment in Madrid? I have had litle time to read the newspapers lately, but it seems like they still haven't decided who has won. Maybe a little bit of Florida-style politics has rubbed off on the rest of the world.

Cheers,
Shawnito

Fascinating stuff. I still don't understand it all, but the Comunidad is in an uproar. For a reminder on the math, the PP won the most seats in the elections, but didn't have an absolute majority to claim the presidency. Whereas, the second-runners up, the PSOE, could assume on an alliance with their natural allies, the IU, with its six seats or so, to go over the top. Apparently what happened Tuesday was that two PSOE deputies mysteriously disappeared during the vote for the president of the chamber. That meant that the PP had enough votes to put their candidate in the presidency of the chamber, and put into doubt the assumption that the PSOE-IU alliance would trump the PP alone. The two absent deputies are now expelled from the PSOE, Zapatero is asking that there be a criminal investigation, and the PP is calling for a new election for the Comunidad so that the "will of the people can be reflected!" Stay tuned!