SPAIN

Guardian: Power balance blown apart

Spain's voters have sent a series of dramatic messages that will resonate far beyond Spain, affecting relations within Europe, with the US and in terms of the "war on terror".
They reminded the world that regime change is best achieved through the ballot box; and that violence must not be allowed to win. Sunday's high poll turnout, after the mass demonstrations last Friday, reflected participatory democracy at its best - courageous, robust and unintimidated.

They also served a warning that politicians who flout public opinion, as the outgoing prime minister José María Aznar did over Iraq, may pay a heavy price.

The bombs were a brutal reminder of that unpopular war. Many in Spain and more widely, in Europe, saw them as the Islamist terrorists' long predicted payback - and a direct result of Mr Aznar's stance.

Voters also objected strongly to perceived attempts by the People's party to manipulate or "spin" opinion over whether Eta or terrorists linked to al-Qaida were responsible for the bombings.