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Leader of Spain’s Socialist party to step down

By WTOP Staff

MADRID (AP) — The head of Spain’s main opposition Socialist party will step down following dismal results in the European Parliament election.

Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Monday he took full responsibility for the “unreservedly bad” results.

The Socialists won 14 seats, down from 23 in 2009.

The ruling conservative Popular party won the most seats but it too suffered a drop, from 24 to 16. It was both parties’ worst result ever.

Rubalcaba said the Socialists will hold a party congress on July 19-20 to name a new leader.

A member of three Socialist governments, Rubalcaba, 62, declined to say what his own plans were.

Many Spaniards blame the Socialists for allowing Spain to slide into economic crisis but are also angry with the Popular Party for imposing tax hikes and cuts.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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