Spain's Socialists celebrate dramatic victory in bastion of conservatism

[Quetzal]

Spain's Socialist rulers celebrate dramatic victory in bastion of conservatism

Spain's ruling Socialist party was yesterday celebrating the conquest of the north-west region of Galicia following a cliff-hanger election that ousted the centre-right Popular party and its octogenarian president, Manuel Fraga, from power.

The contest in Galicia -a conservative bastion and the birthplace of Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator, as well as the present Popular party leader, Mariano Rajoy - had all the drama and suspense of the Florida vote recount in the 2000 US presidential elections.

The Galician election, on June 19, was too close to call, and the outcome came to rest with the large émigré vote, which arrived by post a week later.

There were rumours that Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, was deliberately holding back sacks of Galician postal ballots to favour his Socialist friends in Madrid, and that Mr Fraga had sought the good offices of Cuba's Fidel Castro, a personal friend, to secure the release of the "kidnapped votes".

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