LOC16:05
13:05 GMT
Spanish Congress of Deputies
MADRID, May 21 (KUNA) -- Spanish Congress of Deputies elected on Tuesday the Socialist Meritxell Batet as its president, while Socialist Manuel Cruz was elected as president of the Spanish Senate.
Batet won a simple majority in the second private vote session with 175 votes, while her rival, former right-wing chairwoman Ana Pastor, received 125 votes.
She also won 175 votes in the first round in which she needed the overwhelming majority of 176 votes, Pastor won 67 votes in the 350-member parliament and the Socialist Party won 123 seats.
As for the Senate, Socialist Cruz won a majority of 140 votes, surpassing the overwhelming majority required by 105 votes in the 208-member parliament, in which the Socialist Party has 121 deputies.
The two founding sessions were attended by five Catalonian leaders who were on pre-trial detention camp and awaiting their trial.
The Socialist Workers' Party, led by outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, won the general election on April 28, winning 123 seats in the 350-member House of Representatives. (end)
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