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Opposition Socialists Lead in Spain - 2004-03-14


Early official results in Spain's national election give the opposition Socialists a firm lead over the ruling conservative Popular Party.

With nearly half the votes counted, the Socialists are winning 44 percent while the the Popular Party has 36 percent.

Spanish voters came out in large numbers to cast ballots for 350 parliametary seats. They were apparently motivated by Thursday's terrorist train bombings in Madrid which killed 200 people.

Before Spain's worst ever terrorist attack, pollsters had predicted the Popular Party would likely win a third straight election against Socialists.

A small group of protesters shouted their unhappiness with Spain's support for the U-S-led war in Iraq when Socialist candidate for prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, voted Sunday in Madrid.

Outgoing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar also faced some protests at his Madrid polling place. The demonstrators suggested Mr. Aznar had manipulated public opinion by immediately blaming Thursday's bombings on ETA, the Basque separatist group.

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