Zapatero Calls Election as Polls Give Opposition Record Lead
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Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called early elections as polls show voters will ditch his Socialist party over its handling of the debt crisis in favor of opposition pledges of jobs and tax breaks.
Zapatero, who first called the early election in July, dissolved Parliament today and said the campaign will start on Nov. 4, two weeks before the Nov. 20 vote. The People’s Party of Mariano Rajoy may secure a majority, allowing it to pursue plans to cut taxes for small firms, overhaul banks and change labor rules without needing smaller parties’ support, polls show.