Landslide victory for Spain’s opposition

SPAIN’S opposition conservatives swept into power and into the hot seat yesterday as voters enduring a 21.5% jobless rate and a stagnant economy dumped the Socialists — the third time in as many weeks that Europe’s debt crisis has claimed a government.

Awaiting words from victorious party leader and future prime minister Mariano Rajoy, thousands of jubilant, flag-waving supporters gathered outside Popular Party headquarters in downtown Madrid as pop music boomed over loudspeakers.

With 90% of the votes from the election counted, the centre-right Popular Party won 186 seats compared to 154 in the last legislature, while the Socialists plummeted from 169 to 110, their worst performance ever.