Sunday's local elections
The Socialists lose their strongholds on the Costa and inland
23.05.11 - 13:01 -
Ángeles Muñoz, celebrates her victory in Marbella on Sunday night. Josele-Lanza
The Partido Popular are the undisputed winners of Sunday's local elections in Spain as a whole and in the province of Malaga while the PSOE have been punished by voters.
Here they have taken control of the provincial government (the Diputación) thanks to their victory in traditional PSOE strongholds such as Mijas and Antequera.
The PP have renewed their majorities on the councils they already controlled, the main ones being Malaga, Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Alhaurín el Grande, Alhaurín de la Torre and Nerja. Meanwhile the PP candidates will take over from the Socialist mayors in Estepona, Mijas, Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Antequera and Coín. The PP has become the most voted party in Benalmádena although without an absolute majority.
The PSOE did manage to win the most votes in Torrox, Ronda, Álora and Cártama although they were only just ahead of the PP and control of the town halls will depend on the formation of coalition groups. Similarly in Manilva and Archidona Izquierda Unida (IU) are still the most voted party but without an absolute majority in either town.
The results mean that the PP have gained 18 seats in the Diputación where the party's provincial leader, Elías Bendodo will become the new president.
