New Spanish poll points to election stalemate

Spanish acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist Party would fall even shorter of a full majority in a repeat election on November 10, which is unlikely to break the stalemate between the main right and left parties, a poll showed.

The survey by GAD3 pollster for ABC newspaper published on Thursday put the Socialists on 27.2%, down from 28.7% in the previous parliamentary election in April, which would give them 121 seats in the 350-seat house, two fewer than before.

Spain has not had a stable government for years, with mainstream parties and newcomers that have appeared over the past five years struggling to strike deals. Mr Sanchez called the new election after failing to reach a deal with the far-left Unidas Podemos, which also fell in the poll.

While the main opposition Partido Popular rose to 21.4% of voting intentions and was projected to win 97 seats, after getting just 16.7% of the vote in April, that came mostly at the expense of centre-right Ciudadanos, which fell to 11.3% from 15.9%.

The right altogether, including the far-right Vox, which remained relatively stable on 9.6%, would get 150 seats, three more than in April, but behind the combined three left-wing parties, which would have 164 seats including a new splinter party, Mas Pais (More Country).

Mas Pais would get 5.9%, or nine seats, according to GED3. Podemos would lose eight seats, having fallen to 12.4% of voting intentions from 14.3% in the April election.

GAD3 surveyed 1,207 people between Set. 23 and 25 and the poll's margin of error is 2.8%.