The pres of Spain did not seek another term DJV. He was as you call it "out on the street" by his own choice.
However not sure he would have won if he had run. After all his,and the Popular Party's, only accomplishments in 8 years were
" Bringing Spain eight straight years of economic growth, made it a founding member of the euro single currency, cut unemployment in half and brought a degree of prominence to a long-ignored country"
---now we'll see what the liberal side of Spain,the Socialist can do.
One thing about it and it may have been coincidental as the Socialist may have won anyway--but it sure put glimmer of hope in terrorists eyes as they perceive that their atrocities were the cause of election results.
Without question it was a stunning victory for both the liberals and the terrorists. Celebrations are in order for both.
One thing to keep in mind while doing all the celebrating and I think Jack Straw of the UK said it best yesterday-----
"There are some people who have convinced themselves that the attacks of September 11, 2001 took place after the Iraq invasion in 2003," Straw said.
"And they have forgotten, too, how al Qaeda was involved in the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 or the attacks on U.S. embassies in 1998 in which hundreds of people died.
"One thing I am clear about is that al Qaeda will go on and would have gone on irrespective of the war in Iraq, until they are firmly stopped."