As thousands of jubilant, cheering supporters waving red-and-yellow Spanish flags and blue-and-white party ones gathered outside Popular Party headquarters, their leader and future Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy thanked Spaniards for their support, then sounded a somber note of warning.

“It is no secret to anyone that we are going to rule in the most delicate circumstances Spain has faced in 30 years,” he said. “For me, there will be no enemies but unemployment, the deficit, excessive debt, economic stagnation and anything else that keeps our country in these critical circumstances.”…

With 97 percent of the votes from the election counted, the Popular Party won 186 seats compared to 154 in the last legislature. The Socialists plummeted from 169 to 110, their worst performance ever.