Days or weeks of negotiations will be needed to determine who will govern Spain, with the new far-left Podemos and business-friendly Ciudadanos parties producing shockwaves because of strong support from voters weary of high unemployment, a seemingly endless string of official corruption cases and disgust over the country’s political status quo. If forced out of government, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his Popular Party would become the third European victim this year of a voter backlash against austerity — following elections in Greece and Portugal seen as ballot box rebellions. Analysts said the outcome will make it extremely difficult for the Popular Party to form a coalition or get voted into parliament as a minority government because it does not get enough seats by allying only with Ciudadanos, its closest possible ideological partner.
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