Socialists set to reign in Spain, but not without support

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Spain’s third parliamentary election in less than four years has done little to dispel uncertainty over the political future of the eurozone’s fourth largest economy.

The center-left Socialist party won re-election in Sunday’s ballot, collecting nearly 29% of votes, and will try to form a government. It would be one of only a handful of socialist governments in the European Union.

But with only 123 seats in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies, Spain’s parliament, it needs to negotiate the support of smaller rival parties to pass legislation.

Even an alliance with the far-left, anti-austerity party United We Can wouldn’t give the Socialists the key number of 176 seats.

Spain’s political landscape has fragmented further, with far-right party Vox claiming its first seats in the national parliament.