The "liberal left" has won the Spanish General & French municipal elections

3 exit polls in the Spanish state concur that Zapatero has won the General Election in that state with an absolute majority of both votes cast & seats won.

Over the Pyrennes in the French state, the electorate had its first opportunity to chastise Sarkozy, which exit polls appear to suggest has seen the left win 47% to a right wing 40%.

In addition the Spanish PSOE or socialist party has won the autonomous elections for the Andalucian parliament. It appears the Spanish like liberal modernity even if the onions cost a lot & are prepared to continue with the Zapatero project for another four years.

Naturally with polling booths closing less than an hour ago it is impossible to report more details yet. But I'll happilly append that later on complete with analysis at the emergence of a bipartisan culture in the Spanish state which might see the "united left" party of reformed communists lose their group status privilege in the Congress. Meanwhile the reaction from the French left wing press is already quite chuffed that months of disatisfaction with Sarkozy's politics & more crucially arrogant mix of private life & image has finally brought results to left-wing unity.

Constantly updating Wikipedia page (in English) on Spanish General & Senate elections
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_general_election%2..._2008
French municipal Elections
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_municipal_elections..._2008

Spanish Ministry for Elections (Spanish)
http://www.elecciones.mir.es/

French link
http://www.liberation.fr/actualite/politiques/municipal...R.php