New Spanish poll points to election stalemate

Spanish acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist Party would fall even shorter of a full majority in a repeat election on Nov. 10, which is unlikely to break the stalemate between the main right and left parties, a poll showed. The survey by GAD3 pollster for ABC newspaper published on Thursday put the Socialists on 27.2%, down from 28.7% in the previous parliamentary election in April, which would give them 121 seats in the 350-seat house, two fewer than before.

Spain has not had a stable government for years, with mainstream parties and newcomers that have appeared over the past five years struggling to strike deals. Sanchez called the new election after failing to reach a deal with the far-left Unidas Podemos, which also fell in the poll. While the main opposition People's Party rose to 21.4% of voting intentions and was projected to win 97 seats, after getting just 16.7% of the vote in April, that came mostly at the expense of center-right Ciudadanos, which fell to 11.3% from 15.9%.

The right altogether, including the far-right Vox, which remained relatively stable on 9.6%, would get 150 seats, three more than in April, but behind the combined three left-wing parties, which would have 164 seats including a new splinter party, Mas Pais (More Country). Mas Pais would get 5.9%, or nine seats, according to GED3. Podemos would lose eight seats, having fallen to 12.4% of voting intentions from 14.3% in the April election.

GAD3 surveyed 1,207 people between Set. 23 and 25 and the poll's margin of error is 2.8%.

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