Spain election: Socialists take clear lead but majority unlikely - Aljazeera.com

Madrid, Spain - Votes were being counted in the national election - dubbed one of the most uncertain in Spain's history - that will see the far-right take seats for the first time since democracy resumed in 1982.

Spanish media reported roughly a five percent surge in voter turnout over 2016, with the Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) seen as the clear winner with a projected 116 to 121 seats in Spain's 350-seat Congress of Deputies, according to partial results. Turnout in Sunday's vote was about 75 percent.

PSOE's historical centre-right rival, the People's Party (PP), was estimated to win between 69 and 73 seats.

Unidas Podemos (UP), the left-wing party headed by Pablo Iglesias, was expected to win between 42 and 45 seats, Spanish network RTVE reported.

If UP agrees to a coalition with PSOE - which is likely - the two parties would be close to forming a government, with between 158 and 166 seats. Regional nationalist parties could help the left-wing parties form a government with an absolute majority of 176 seats.

The Vox party, which rode a wave of anti-Catalan, anti-immigrant rhetoric into parliament, was expected to win about 24 seats - the first time the far-right has had a say in national Spanish politics since former dictator Francisco Franco's death in 1975.

Spain votes in pivotal election marked by far-right resurgence

Catalan question

In Catalonia, which has its own language, voters turned out beyond expectations.

The Catalan Republican Left (ERC), headed by Oriol Junqueras - who is facing trial on charges of sedition, rebellion and embezzlement of public funds over a 2017 referendum on Catalan independence - is projected to win 13 or 14 seats.

That number is unprecedented for the Catalan nationalist party. If ERC agrees to a coalition with PSOE and UP, a government could likely be formed.

However, PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez has taken a tough stance against Catalan independence, saying there would be "no referendum and no independence" during a rally in Barcelona on Friday.

Gerardo Rodriguez, a 42-year-old having lunch in front of a church, said he voted PSOE in part to Sanchez' tough stance on Catalan independence.

"Politically, I am in the centre. I have voted for both PP and PSOE in the past," Rodriguez said.

"I didn't want to vote PP because of Vox, but I was concerned with Sanchez' stance towards Catalan independence," he continued. "When he said there would be no independence, I was convinced."

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Far-right gains

Rodriguez said he admired PP leader Pablo Casado's tough stance towards Catalan independence, but found his willingness to partner with far-right Vox distasteful.

"I grew up hearing stories from my family about how horrible" life was under fascist dictator Franco.

Members of Vox spoke warmly of Franco. "I couldn't vote for anyone who would work with them," Rodriguez said.

Final results are expected early Monday.

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