PP picks up new seats in election re-run win, while PSOE hangs on in second

Spaniards returned to the polls this Sunday. A total of 36,518,100 voters were called upon to cast their ballot, for the second time in six months after the inconclusive vote in December and subsequent failure of Spain’s political parties to reach an agreement to form a government. Despite expectations to the contrary, the Podemos-United Left coalition failed to knock the Socialists off the second spot, and the PP once again won most seats, but still fell short of a majority.

That concludes our live blog of today"s general elections. We"ll be back on Monday morning with the latest news and analysis in English. Thanks for reading!

Simon Hunter23:52

FULL STORY: PP picks up new seats in election re-run win, while PSOE hangs on in second http://cort.as/i4Cn

Simon Hunter23:51

Pedro Sánchez (PSOE): "I am not satisfied. The Socialists wanted to win these elections and we have not achieved that, but we are still the biggest political force on the left."

Simon Hunter23:33

PSOE candidate Pedro Sánchez thanks voters and acknowledges PP win. "In spite of the extraordinary difficulties and expectations, the PSOE has once again confirmed its place as the hegemonic party of the left."

Simon Hunter23:32

Celebrations outside the PP headquarters in Madrid

Simon Hunter23:29

Pablo Iglesias: "We are not at all satisfied with these results"

Simon Hunter23:15

BREAKING: Deputy PM Sáenz de Santamaría: "The PP has won the elections."

Simon Hunter23:08

Corruption cases don"t seem to have affected the PP in Valencia, where they have gone from 11 to 13 deputies with 35.5% of the vote (four points more than in December with 96% of vote counted. In the photo, voters in Valencia city. Photo: Mònica Torres

Simon Hunter22:45

With 90% of vote counted: PP 136; PSOE 86; Unidos Podemos 71; Ciudadanos 32. Absolute majority 176 seats

Simon Hunter22:40

EL PAIS journalist Antonio J. Mora: “With 88% of the vote counted, the PP has won in Andalusia, a traditional Socialist stronghold:, which delivers 23 seats to the conservatives and 20 to the PSOE.”

Susana Urra22:39

EL PAIS journalist Carlos E. Cué: “Low turnout and the failure of an attempted center-left pact have clearly benefited the PP. Will there be a government. The PSOE will decide that.”

Susana Urra22:34

EL PAIS journalist Berna González: “With 84% of votes counted, the left is not beating the right, contradicting surveys that said the opposite. Stay tuned for the results of the postal vote.”

Susana Urra22:27

“Someone who was handing out resignation rulings might have to start applying them to himself”: PP Senator Xavier García-Albiol, alluding to calls for the resignation of the acting interior minister over a political persecution scandal in Catalonia

Susana Urra22:20

With 78.35% of the count complete: PP 136, PSOE 89, Unidos Podemos 71, Ciudadanos 29

Simon Hunter22:15

First Senate results are in: with 7.34% of votes counted, the PP holds on to its absolute majority with 109 of the 208 seats being contested. That’s 15 fewer than on December 20. The PSOE gains 12 senators, rising from 47 to 59.

Susana Urra22:12

Íñigo Errejón, number two at Podemos, is talking about "tight results". "We have to say that there is still time, and that we are waiting."

Simon Hunter22:06

Now at over 61% of vote count: PP 135, PSOE 90, Unidos Podemos 71, Ciudadanos 29.

Susana Urra21:57

Ok we"re now at over 50% of vote count: 54.49% polled: PP 134, PSOE 92, Unidos Podemos 70, Ciudadanos 29. Absolute majority 176 seats

Simon Hunter21:48

EL PAIS journalist Berna González: “Ciudadanos is dropping; if confirmed, it is paying for its swings and probably for its deal with the PSOE.”

Susana Urra21:47

The Basque Country has already counted over 70% of the vote, the Valencian region nearly 50%, Catalonia 21% and the Madrid region only 10%.

Susana Urra21:44