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The Latest: Podemos party leader hails ‘historic’ Spain vote

Pablo Iglesias, leader of Podemos party, casts his vote for the national elections in Madrid, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. Spaniards are voting in an historic national election Sunday with the country’s traditional two parties and widely anticipated strong showings for two new parties. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Pablo Iglesias, leader of Podemos party, casts his vote for the national elections in Madrid, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. Spaniards are voting in an historic national election Sunday with the country’s traditional two parties and widely anticipated strong showings for two new parties. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

By Associated Press December 20, 2015 1 min read

MADRID (AP) – The latest developments on Spain’s general election. All times local.

5:20 p.m.

The leader of Spain’s new far-left Podemos party has hailed Sunday as an “historic” election day as he cast his ballot in a working class neighborhood of Madrid.

The pony-tailed Pablo Iglesias says Spain “is going through a new transition” as his party and another new upstart political party seek to take votes away from the nation’s traditional Popular Party and Socialist Party, which have dominated Spanish politics for more than three decades.

His party and the business-friendly Ciudadanos party gained strength by portraying the Popular and Socialist parties as out-of-touch and run by politicians who care more about their own power than citizens’ needs.

Iglesias said Sunday: “After tonight, I am sure the history of our country will change.”