SPAIN'S SOCIALISTS celebrated election victory last night with jubilant scenes on the streets outside their party headquarters in Madrid.
With 95 per cent of the votes counted, the socialists won 169 seats in the 350-seat lower house of the Cortes (parliament), five seats more than in the outgoing legislature and eight seats short of an overall majority.
However, the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) will be able to govern alone, relying only on smaller or regional parties for specific votes.
Accompanied by his wife, prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's first words were for the slain socialist former town councillor, killed by Eta two days before the vote. He also remembered the other terrorist victims of the past four years.
He promised that during the next four years he would continue to work on social issues. He drew loud applause when he pledged that these would be for women's rights and for young people.
"The Spanish people have spoken clearly and they have decided to open a new phase," Mr Zapatero told supporters in Madrid. "I will govern for all, but thinking above all of those who don't have it all."
There were more subdued scenes on the street outside the Popular Party (PP) headquarters. Thousands had amassed there expecting to celebrate a victory. Instead, although they have three seats more than in 2004, they are some 20 seats behind the socialists.
Pio Garcia Escudero, the man who had led the PP campaign, had made no secret that he had expected a historic victory for his party. He could not hide his disappointment, even before the votes were counted.
"Soundings outside the polling stations don't mean anything. What matters are the ballot papers. We are expecting a historic night," he declared optimistically as the first exit polls appeared. But his body language showed a very different mood.
The PP, which had hoped for a much better result, will be entering a period of reflection.
Mr Zapatero's conservative rival Mariano Rajoy, a charming but colourless figure who was appointed by Mr Zapatero's predecessor, José Maria Aznar, without a vote in the party, has lost his second election. He must now be considering his future.
Probably because democracy is still fairly young in Spain - the democratic constitution was approved in 1978 - Spaniards are enthusiastic voters and high turnouts are common. Abstention is seen not so much a sign of apathy, but more a political gesture. Yesterday turnout was just over 62 per cent, virtually the same as four years ago.
Analysts had warned that a low turnout yesterday could favour the conservative PP because in the past it has been able to rely on a solid core of loyal voters.
Although the PSOE can also count on its own loyal supporters who will vote for it come what may, there is a sector of the community with unconvinced floating voters who support one party or another, or show their disapproval by staying at home.
There were particular fears in the socialist ranks. No one could forget how the terrorist bomb in Madrid in March 2004, when 192 people died, overturned what had been a predicted election victory for the PP, and there were fears that last Friday's Eta killing could change voters' opinions.
Election day passed peacefully, with only minor incidents to mar the calm. One or two invigilators failed to report for duty at their electoral tables or a few polling stations had their locks stuffed with silicone.
Two of the main losers of the night is the militant left-wing Catalan Republican Left (ERC) whose weight had supported the socialists in the outgoing parliament. Their voters gave them a resounding vote of no confidence, and the United Left has also suffered a severe blow.
They only won four seats and can no longer enjoy their own parliamentary group. Mr Zapatero was asked last week what his first step would be if he won. "Phone my father who will be waiting to hear," he said.