Spain's Socialists trounced amid economic woes

AP - Spain's ruling Socialists are bracing for stinging losses in regional and municipal voting this weekend as people vent anger over staggering unemployment and bleak economic prospects, launching a drumroll toward likely defeat in general elections next year.

Greek voters cast ballots Sunday in local and regional elections under the threat by Prime Minister George Papandreou to dissolve parliament if his debt-slashing socialist government suffers losses.Around 9.8 million voters are registered to vote in the first round of the municipal and regional elections, which instead of the usual tussle between conservatives and socialists has been turned into a referendum on the painful austerity measures needed to rescue the eurozone member from bankruptcy.

Greek voters cast ballots Sunday in local and regional elections under the threat by Prime Minister George Papandreou to dissolve parliament if his debt-slashing socialist government suffers losses.Around 9.8 million voters are registered to vote in the first round of the municipal and regional elections, which instead of the usual tussle between conservatives and socialists has been turned into a referendum on the painful austerity measures needed to rescue the eurozone member from bankruptcy.

While today's attention was focused on the austerity-crushing defeat of Monti in Italy and the pre-supposition that the ECB being able to use its OMT promise against an ill-disciplined nation fades; there is another super-cell of destruction wending its way towards Berlin (and Brussels).

The BBC reports New election blow for Germany's Merkel Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have suffered heavy losses in an election in Germany's most populous state, exit polls suggest. Support for the Christian Democrats dropped from 35% to 26% in North Rhine-Westphalia, with the Social Democrats set to return to power with the Greens. It is the Christian Democrats' worst result in the state.

By Alyssa Rosenberg

Voters in Spain's wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia have ousted the ruling Socialist party in regional elections, a fresh challenge for Prime Minister José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero.