Electoral shift to right

Zapatero's Socialists defeated by People's party in regional elections

Results seen as protest vote against Spain's José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's handling of economy since 2008

The PSOE socialist party of Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is licking its wounds after defeat by the conservative opposition People's party (PP) in municipal and regional elections.

Source: Guardian

Vocabulary:

to defeat:

to handle:

to lick your wounds:

aware (adj):

widely (adv) :

to eject:

a drubbing:

a backdrop:

sluggish (adj):

to struggle:

spoilt ballots:

overall turnout:

mainstream (adj):

to blame:

to plunge:

a U-turn:

to pledge:

to stick to (a plan):

a bond (finance):

a share (finance):

to urge:

to call an election:

a snap general election:

to be due:

left-wing (adj):

opinion polls:

to hang on:

to set (timetable):

regarded as: