Spain’s repeat election fails to break deadlock

Spain’s Socialists faced tough talks to form a government yesterday after the party emerged on top but weakened from a repeat election which produced an even more divided parliament and propelled far-right Vox into third place. Neither the left nor the right bloc are anywhere near an absolute majority in the 350-seat assembly following Sunday’s polls, prolonging a political deadlock in the eurozone’s fourth largest economy after a similar result in the previous general election in April. The “elections did not solve the difficulties in achieving a governing majority. On the contrary, (they) worsened them,” top-selling daily newspaper El Pais wrote in an editorial.