A look at the candidates in Spain's general election

A new generation of young and media-savvy political leaders is vying to become Spain's next prime minister in a general election Sunday. They are all men and less than 50.

A deeply divided parliament is expected to emerge from the ballot, and whoever gets the most votes will likely need to sit down and negotiate a complicated governing alliance.

Here's a look at the main candidates vying to take office:

In this Tuesday, April 16, 2019 photo, a Spanish woman holds a poster signed by Popular Party's candidate Pablo Casado, during an election campaign event in Madrid, Spain. Pablo Casado is facing his first electoral test at the head of the Popular Party, Spain's dominant political party on the right for the past three decades. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Sánchez, the Socialist party leader and incumbent prime minister, is aiming to pull off yet another unexpected political turnaround.

He was forced to call an early election when his minority government failed to pass a national spending bill in February.

In this Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018 photo, leader of the centre right Ciudadanos party, Albert Rivera, addresses the crowd during political meeting in Madrid, Spain. Albert Rivera is anything but shy. A university debate champion and water polo player in his youth, Rivera made his debut in politics in 2006 at age 27 by posing completely nude_ with hands over his groin_ for an eye-catching campaign poster. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)

Now, all polls forecast that the Socialists will overtake the conservative Popular Party to garner the most votes on Sunday, but it will be nowhere near a majority.

That would be another surprising victory for the 47-year-old former basketball player who temporarily lost his party leadership in 2016 in an internal spat following two crushing defeats in consecutive national elections.

But rank-and-file party members took back Sánchez as the Socialists' general secretary in mid-2017 and a year later he engineered a stunning maneuver and became prime minister, forcing his predecessor Mariano Rajoy to face a no-confidence vote over corruption cases tainting the Popular Party.

In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 photo, Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias, takes part in an electoral meeting in Barcelona, Spain. Five years ago Pablo Iglesias was supposed to lead a leftist takeover of Spain. Now, the pony-tailed former TV politics commentator is struggling to keep his far-left United We Can party from breaking apart. (AP PhotoEmilio Morenatti)

PABLO CASADO

Casado is facing his first election as head of the Popular Party, Spain's dominant conservative political force for the past three decades.

The 38-year-old lawyer, who has made most of his career in politics, took over as party chief in July vowing to clean up party corruption with a zero-tolerance approach.

In this Saturday, April 13, 2019 photo, Santiago Abascal, leader of Spanish far right party Vox, takes part in an electoral meeting during the General Election campaign, in San Sebastian, northern Spain. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Casado has been dragging the party toward more conservative ground and calling for a stronger stance on Catalan separatism. The goal is to prevent a flood of votes going to the center-right Citizens party, perceived as tougher on the Catalonia issue, and the far-right Vox.

ALBERT RIVERA

The 39-year-old Rivera is anything but shy. A university debate champion and water polo player in his youth, Rivera made his debut in politics in 2006 at age 27 by posing nude for a campaign poster.

In this Tuesday, April 16, 2019 photo, Popular Party's candidate Pablo Casado smiles to supporters during an election campaign event in Madrid, Spain. Pablo Casado is facing his first electoral test at the head of the Popular Party, Spain's dominant political party on the right for the past three decades. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

He has since led Citizens. It began as a tiny party in Barcelona, created to fight the local Catalan secessionist movement, and it has now spread across Spain.

Presenting himself as a champion of free market, Rivera's party has tried to carve out a space in the center of Spanish politics, enticing voters from both the Socialists and the Popular Party.

Citizens' newcomer status is now threatened by the upstart Vox, which is also luring conservative voters.

In this Monday, April 15, 2019 photo, Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist Party candidate Pedro Sanchez gives a speech during an election campaign event in Leganes, outskirts of Madrid, Spain. Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez and incumbent Prime Minister is aiming to pull off yet another unexpected political turnaround. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

PABLO IGLESIAS

Iglesias was tipped to lead a leftist takeover of Spain in 2015. Now, the pony-tailed former TV politics commentator is struggling to keep his far-left United We Can party from breaking apart.

United We Can has been wracked by in-fighting among its leaders and the polls show it may pay a heavy price.

In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 photo, a banner of Spanish election runner Citizens party's Albert Rivera is seen in the background in a subway station Madrid, Spain. Albert Rivera is anything but shy. A university debate champion and water polo player in his youth, Rivera made his debut in politics in 2006 at age 27 by posing completely nude_ with hands over his groin_ for an eye-catching campaign poster. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

After returning from paternity leave to care for his premature twins he had with party No. 2 Irene Montero, the 40-year-old Iglesias is trying to rekindle the indignation of the jobless and those most hurt by austerity measures.

Sánchez may need to rely on Iglesias for support in a coalition.

SANTIAGO ABASCAL

In this Saturday, April 13, 2019 photo, Santiago Abascal, leader of Spanish far right party Vox, takes part in an electoral meeting during the General Election campaign, in San Sebastian, northern Spain. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Abascal is the scion of a family targeted by the now-defunct separatist group ETA in his native Basque region.

He made his career as a member of the Popular Party and now hopes he and others from his Vox party will become the first far-right lawmakers to sit in parliament since 1982.

The platform of Vox, which means voice in Latin, is to defend Spain from what it says are the dangers of separatism, Muslim immigration, feminism and liberals.

In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 photo, Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias, talks to his supporters as he takes part in an electoral meeting in Barcelona, Spain. Five years ago Pablo Iglesias was supposed to lead a leftist takeover of Spain. Now, the pony-tailed former TV politics commentator is struggling to keep his far-left United We Can party from breaking apart. (AP PhotoEmilio Morenatti)

The 43-year-old Abascal unapologetically defends hunting, bullfighting and traditional and Catholic family values.

He has said that he wants to "reconquer" Spain, a reference to the 15th-century expulsion of Muslims and Jews from Spanish territory.

The pistol-carrying politician has called for dropping strict gun controls.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed satisfaction on Monday after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor.

Candidates from his pro-European Union centrist Civic Coalition, or running with the party's backing, won in a series of cities in the second round of local elections held on Sunday, among them Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Rzeszow.

“It is very difficult to clearly say who won and who lost,” Tusk said Monday. “But if we compare these results, especially in the most attractive places, on these attractive battlefields ... then I actually have reasons for satisfaction.”

“Law and Justice has simply disappeared in many places,” Tusk added at a news conference, referring to the main opposition party.

The results put Civic Coalition in a favorable position as the country looks next to elections to the European Parliament on June 9.

Mayors were chosen in a total of 748 cities and towns where no single candidate won at least 50% of the vote during the first round on April 7.

Candidates for Tusk’s party also recaptured cities where they had not held power for many years, including Zielona Gora, Legnica and Torun.

The local and regional elections were viewed as a test for Tusk's pro-European Union government four months after it took power at the national level. Sunday's second round strengthened the Tusk government's leverage in the cities, which should facilitate cooperation on development projects and allotment of EU funds.

Tusk's allies also won in some places in the first round two weeks ago, including in Warsaw, where incumbent Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski was an easy victor.

In the first round, the right-wing Law and Justice, prevailed on the level of regional assemblies in the country's 16 provinces, where it took 34.3% of the votes, while Tusk's Civic Coalition got 30.6%. Law and Justice governed on the national level from 2015-23.

Tusk’s socially liberal Civic Coalition traditionally has strong support in cities, while Law and Justice has a more solid base in conservative rural areas, particularly in eastern Poland.

Civic Coalition is the largest group in a three-party coalition that governs the EU nation of 38 million people. The coalition is pro-European Union but otherwise spans a wide ideological spectrum with left-wing politicians in the Left party as well as conservatives in the Third Way.

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Campaign posters promote candidates as Poles vote in local and regional elections in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk reacts during his and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting with students in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk is celebrating a victory on Monday April 22, 2024 after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk listens to the media in Berlin, Germany, Friday, March 15, 2024. Tusk is celebrating a victory on Monday April 22, 2024 after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)