Spain moves towards a legislative stalemate with neither the left nor right having a majority in the fourth national election in four years.
The Socialists of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had gambled that a repeat parliamentary election would strengthen his hand, finished first but with fewer seats than in the previous ballot in April and further away from a majority.
The conservative People’s Party was second and far-right Vox third. The most likely outcome appeared to be a minority Socialist government. The voting took place amid weeks of violent protests in Catalonia.