Spain election result: The right wing PP (Partido Popular) has won a massive victory in Spain’s general elections today. They have achieved an absolute majority, as well as controlling all of the regions of Spain except Catalonia and Euskadi (Basque Country).

Live updates below.

21:53 – With 67% of the vote counted, the PP has 187 seats for the PSOE’s 109.
In Catalonia, CiU looks like it could beat the PSC.

20:28 – Andalucia is the most important victory for the PP. They’ve achieved more voted there than the PSOE for the first time ever. The PSOE has lost about 10 seats in Andalucia. This is one of the poorest regions in Spain and many PSOE voters feel they have been forgotten about by the Madrid government.

20:23 – The Socialist PSOE has dropped by 14 points in Spain (‘2 million votes’) whereas the PP has increased its share of the vote by only 3.5 points. The PP will govern not because they’ve been chosen by a plurality but because the Socialist vote has withered so seriously.

Today’s elections in Spain will probably result in a significant PP victory. I’ll be updating this post from time to time with tasty morsels of doom. I’ll probably find some sort of widget to help me out too. My last blog post, about who will win Spain’s elections, why, and what that means, can be read here.

20:00 – First exit poll results: The PP has a clear absolute majority in Spain’s elections with up to 185 seats. The PSOE is down to 119.

In Catalonia: the PSC leads, followed by CiU and then the PP. The results here are not surprising: the PP has failed to overtake CiU or PSC. Iniciativa (Green/Communist) has done well. ERC maintains 3 seats. UPyD and fascist PxC have failed to win any seats.

19:44 – IMPORTANT: until 2000 (8 pm), the Spanish government prohibits actual results of the elections being reported. So we have to wait just over 15 minutes for first results.

19:30 – TV3 is also reporting that the cost of this year’s elections is 6% below 2008’s. Austerity in action.

19:00 – Catalonia ‘leads the decline in turnout’ according to TV3. They always find a way for Catalonia to be ahead of Spain.

18:30 – Voter turnout is down 3.3 points on 2008. This will likely benefit the right (PP).