Spain swings right in local and regional elections

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s conservative opposition Popular Party (PP) made significant gains in local and regional elections, offering a perilous assessment of public feeling towards the country’s ruling left-wing coalition ahead of general elections in December. In the local vote, the PP won 31.53% of votes compared with 28.16% for the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, or PSOE, which leads the central government, with more than 97% of votes counted, according to results published by the Interior Ministry.  The PP also took back several communities under PSOE control, including Valencia, Aragon and La Rioja.