Madrid’s president revels in ‘wake-up call’ victory as left routed

Conservative Isabel Diaz Ayuso vows to continue combative approach to dealings with Spanish government

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the conservative president of the Madrid region who inflicted a stinging defeat on her leftwing opponents in Tuesday's snap election, has vowed to carry on acting as a counterweight" to Spain's Socialist-led coalition government.

Although her People's party more than doubled its seat count and won more seats than the three leftwing parties combined, Ayuso fell just short of an absolute majority, meaning she will have to rely on the support of the far-right Vox party to form a new regional government.