PoliticsSpain: Socialists: Thrown out by mayoral elections, local politics underwent a seismic shift

The Raw Story (May23,2k11)

Spanish Socialists hammered 

in election 

after a week of protests

by Reuters

Monday, May 23rd, 2011 -- 8:26 am

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's ability to meet deficit reduction targets was thrown into doubt on Monday after voters angry over austerity and the EU'S highest jobless rate gave the ruling Socialists a fierce drubbing in local elections.

A week of protests by youth fed up with the stagnant economy and a 21.3 percent jobless rate preceded Sunday elections that left the Socialists without a single important mayor's office and only a handful of Spain's 17 regional legislatures.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Sunday night conceded the worse-than-expected defeat but said he planned to stay on to the end of his term in March next year.

Read more ... click the time-stamp below...