Source: Spain’s Interior Ministry via The Wall Street Journal.

Election results in Spain have fragmented political power, empowering new parties across the political spectrum while leaving both the entrenched Popular Party and Socialist Party without a majority and cautious of these up and coming newcomers.

The elections—which saw Spain’s two establishment parties lose significant ground to two upstarts—produced a parliament so fragmented that the country will face major governing challenges as it tries to build on its recovery from a painful economic collapse. – Matt Moffett and Jeannette Newmann, 20 December 2015, The Wall Street Journal.

This election result is significant because it could be a double-edged sword where checks and balances between parties could help prevent an abuse of power but in which efficiency in acting and crafting legislation is challenged by political gridlock.

Ultimately while Spain’s election results may be a break from tradition, time will tell whether the seeds of new promises grow amidst a changing political and economic climate.