Spanish PM Rajoy faces key vote

BILBAO (AFP) - Spaniards suffering a deep recession and cutbacks voted Sunday in two snap regional elections that could deliver a major setback to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Rajoy’s right-leaning Popular Party is facing electoral tests in the premier’s home region of Galicia and in the Basque Country. Both elections were full of risks for the Spanish leader as he agonised over whether and when to snatch a eurozone sovereign rescue to finance the nation’s runaway public debt. Many investors believe the prime minister is waiting to get the two votes out of the way before requesting the rescue, keeping world financial markets on edge.

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