Spaniards angry with 21 per cent unemployment and seemingly endless corruption cases voted Sunday in an historic election that is expected to end the nation's two-party political system due to strong support for two upstart parties.
Spain has been dominated for more than three decades by the ruling Popular Party and the main opposition Socialists, which have alternated running the government.
But many people casting ballots were expected to support the business-friendly Ciudadanos party or the far-left Podemos party.
Both gained strength by portraying the Popular Party and the Socialists as out-of-touch behemoths run by politicians who care more about maintaining their own power than citizens' needs.
Miguel Redondo, a 19-year-old Madrid university student, voted for Podemos because "it's the party that best understands the difficulties that young people are going through."
Spain's 36.5 million registered voters were electing representatives to the 350-seat lower house of Parliament and to the Senate, which has less legislative power. Voting was brisk today but by 3 pm, the Interior Ministry said voter participation was slightly less than in the 2011 election.
Polls predict the right-of-centre Popular Party will get the most votes but not enough to retain its parliamentary majority. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he would seek an alliance to prevent a leftist coalition from taking power -- as one did in neighbouring Portugal last month.
Francisco Herrera, a 43-year-old porter in Madrid, said although Rajoy had disappointed him, he felt the Popular Party "defends the economy and the type of government that suits us right now."
Spain could end up with a host of coalition government possibilities. The most likely ally for the Popular Party is Cuidadanos, while the Socialists would probably team up with Podemos.
There's also the possibility of a three-way alliance between the Socialists, Ciudadanos and Podemos.
Days or weeks of negotiations may be needed to determine the outcome -- which will be unprecedented because the Socialists and the Popular Party have previously only needed support from tiny Spanish parties to get a majority in Parliament when they didn't win one from voters.
The nation's devastating economic crisis, non-stop corruption scandals and a separatist drive in the northeastern region of Catalonia have dominated Spanish politics over the past four years.
Rajoy has boasted about his handling of the economy, done his best to skirt the corruption minefield and has vowed to halt the independence push.
