Hundreds of Popular Party supporters celebrated outside the party’s headquarters in Madrid late yesterday after it won an absolute majority in Parliament in Spain’s general election as voters toppled yet another eurozone government engulfed in a deepening debt crisis.

The crowd cheered, danced and waved blue and white party flags after a party official announced on a large screen held up by a crane that exit polls showed the Popular Party had defeated the ruling Socialists, in power since 2004.

“I am very happy, we could not remain on the same path. I am really happy that they won an absolute majority. This way it will be easier for them to adopt the measures that Spain needs,” said Ana Perez, a 46-year-old shopkeeper. Opposition leader Mariano Rajoy’s Popular Party took 43.5 per cent of the vote and an absolute majority of between 181 and 185 seats in the 350-member Congress of Deputies, said projections based on an exit poll by public broadcaster RTVE.

The ruling Socialist Party won 30 per cent of the vote and between 115 and 119 seats, the poll said.Voters were angry over a 21.5 per cent jobless rate, a stalled economy, government spending cuts and a worsening debt crisis.

“I think Spain needed a change. We have had eight years of a failed government,” said 16-year-old high school student Jorge Alises who carried both a Spanish and a Popular Party flag.

“I have a lot of faith in Rajoy’s team, they are very focused on Spain’s main problem, which is the economy.”

Ana Azara, a 55-year-old housewife who came to the celebration with her son and nephew, was also optimistic that a Popular Party government could improve the economy.

“With a majority they can do things without having to rely on people who should never be in government to begin with. The Socialists always went against the wishes of the people.”