It's actually been a decent night so far for both of the major parties, according to the 40% of results in so far.

Although he's expected to lose to the conservatives, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez is on course for a better performance than in the last election in 2019. So far his party is on 132 seats, up 12.

They're marginally ahead of the Popular Party who've increased their number by 40 to 129. Vox are currently on course for 32 and Sumar 29.

Antoinette Radford
Live reporter

Now that voting has ended across Spain, with polls closing in the Canary Islands too, we're starting to get results from today's election.

With 24% of votes counted, it's too early to give a clear picture of the two top parties, other than that the conservative PP is clearly doing a lot better than four years ago. That's because early results mainly come from Spain's smaller towns.

Far-right Vox is on course for third place and left-wing Sumar alliance is heading for fourth.

And despite the hot weather and millions of voters on holiday, there was a 68.4% voter turnout.

Stay with us and we will bring you the latest updates here.

Maria Zaccaro
Live reporter

Counting is under way across Spain after its snap general election - so far we've had just under 10% of votes counted.

But reports are emerging that far-right party Vox has denied access to its electoral headquarters to journalists from El País newspaper and Cadena SER radio, alleging that they were not accredited.

El País insists it was accredited last Monday, "minutes after Vox opened the registration". Cadena SER says it applied the same day.

The newspaper reports that Vox said it had reached its full capacity.

The conservative People's Party (PP) is celebrating what they believe is a "great election day".

PP secretary general Cuca Gamarra has told Spanish TV that the PP is about to "recover the position of first political force in a general election".

And that hasn't happened since 2015, she says.

Maria Zaccaro
Live reporter

As we've been reporting, Spain could see its first coalition government involving the far-right since the Franco dictatorship ended in 1975.

This could happen if the conservative People's Party (PP) led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo needed to form a coalition with the far-right Vox party to obtain a solid majority.

Initial opinion polls that have been released so far provide differing views on whether the PP will need to form a coalition.

Daniel Cetra, a senior researcher in political economy at the University of Barcelona, has told BBC News that whether or not the PP would obtain a majority remains the "main issue".

He said both the PP and the governing Socialist party rely on the number of their supporters who have decided to vote.

"The right seems to have been more successful at this," he said.

"Spain seems to be moving to the right," he added.

Image source, Reuters

1. Pedro Sánchez has led Spain for five years, entering the Moncloa Palace after his Socialist party called a no-confidence vote in the then prime minister - and won
2. The 51-year-old describes himself as “a militant pro-European” who backs more integration
3. He’s the first Spanish PM to speak fluent English, and he’s previously lectured economics in Spain and worked for the UN in Bosnia-Herzegovina
4. He’s expanded abortion rights and backed a rule giving workers the right to menstrual leave. Elsewhere, he’s spearheaded a law to bring dignity to victims of dictator Francisco Franco and legalised euthanasia in some circumstances
5. His brand of governing has been dubbed Sanchismo, and his opponents have styled the election as a choice between Sanchismo or Spain

Laura Gozzi
in Madrid

"The moment is now," reads a billboard on the front of the conservative People Party's HQ.

Polls have now closed and media has published the results of a two week-long survey indicating that the PP got the most votes.

Yet there is no buzz here - the street is still open and traffic continues to flow.

No PP officials have come out to celebrate and there are only a handful of activists milling about quietly.

It will be a while before the picture becomes clear. But things look good for the PP - while it's entirely possible that over on the other side of Madrid, at the Socialist party HQ, nervousness is growing.

The conservative People's Party looks on course for a clear victory but it's too early to say if it could win an absolute majority even if it reaches a deal with the far-right Vox party.

These aren't exit polls but surveys of thousands of voters up to today.

The SigmaDos survey for Spain's RTVE public TV gives the PP 145-150 seats and potentially a tiny majority with Vox of one or two seats.

Another survey by Gad3 gives the conservatives a bigger margin of victory over the Socialists with 150 seats to 112 for the Socialists. Vox would get 31 seats, according to that survey and if the conservatives did reach a deal then that would be a more comfortable majority.

These are still just opinion polls so they're not conclusive.

What to look out for now voting is overpublished at 19:02 British Summer Time 23 July 2023

19:02 BST 23 July 2023

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Now that polls have closed, Spanish media are posting the results of opinion polls taken in the days leading up to today.

They're not like exit polls but they're the only glimpse of voter intention that Spanish media have been allowed to publish for almost a week. So they're useful but not conclusive. And although voting has closed in most of Spain, the Canary Islands still get another hour before polls close.

What we're looking for is how well the two biggest parties have done - the conservatives and Socialists - and the two medium-sized parties that could help them form a government. That's Vox on the far right, and Sumar - an alliance of parties on the left.

How close to 176 seats will the biggest parties get? Because that's the number they will need to get to an absolute majority.

Polls have closed for most voters in mainland Spain. We are expecting the results of opinion surveys shortly.

A party needs to secure an absolute majority of 176 seats in Spain’s 350-seat congress - or join a coalition to take power.

Spaniards also voted to choose 208 of 265 senators in the upper house.

Stay with us for the latest updates.

Laura Gozzi
in Madrid

A striking billboard towers over the Madrid neighbourhood of Chueca.

It shows a mask of Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the PP, being removed to reveal Vox leader Santiago Abascal underneath.

The poster addresses the belief of left-wing voters that voting for the PP will help usher in far-right party Vox, as the two are likely to form a governing coalition if the PP gets the most votes at today’s election.

“Despising the rights of women isn’t patriotism. Homophobia isn’t freedom,” it says. It also urges people to vote “against hate pacts”.

Laura Gozzi
in Madrid

With less than half an hour to go until polls close for most voters, the street opposite the People Party’s (PP) HQ in central Madrid is getting crowded - although national and international media still outnumber PP supporters for now.

A man is testing the mic on the stage where PP leader Feijoo may - if the polls are correct - make a victory speech soon.

Katya Adler
Europe editor in Madrid

In sunglasses, handheld fans pressed to faces, many sporting swimwear and a pair of shorts, Spaniards have been pouring into hot and sticky polling stations.

They say there was too much at stake to miss casting their ballot.

Father-of-three Sergio said many Spaniards were angry and anxious about the prospect of having extreme right party in government.

"My 15-year-old daughter is worried about women’s rights, my gay friends concerned about theirs," he told me.

Another voter, 23-year-old Carlos insisted it was time for an end to left-wing government in Spain.

"I just don’t feel represented," he said. "I want traditional values to be defended. I feel like they’re disappearing."

These are the kind of culture wars we’ve seen in a number of European countries now.

But after a poisonous election campaign, Spain is so polarised, it’ll be hard for whoever forms the next government to unite all the country behind them. Will they even try?

Image source, Reuters

The polls are drawing to a close in Spain's snap election - with voting due to end for most at 20:00 local time (19:00 BST).

Socialist party leader Pedro Sánchez, the current PM, called the vote after coming second to the conservative People's Party (PP) in May’s local elections.

The rivals will likely form coalitions - the PP under Alberto Núñez Feijóo may need the support of far-right party Vox, while Sánchez will be able to look to left-wing group Sumar.

Many analysts predict a swing to the right, meaning Spain could see hard-line nationalists in power for the first time since fascist dictator Francisco Franco’s death in 1975.

Image source, Jordi Jordan/Twitter

We've heard how today's election has clashed with many people's summer holidays.

But it also coincides with traditional celebrations and festivals in some Spanish towns - leading to some interesting wardrobe choices at the ballot box.

The mayor of Tortosa, in Catalonia, Jordi Jordan, cast his vote while wearing the traditional garb of the Renaissance era - as the poll takes place on the day of a Renaissance festival.

Jordan, a history teacher who is on the Movem-PSC electoral ticket, said it was important “to defend rights and freedoms and not go back in time -- unless it is in historical recreation festivities".

He posted a photo wearing the clothing to his Twitter. , external

Meanwhile, in Saldaña, in the province of Palencia, the mayor turned up dressed up as a Roman emperor accompanied by "Roman soldiers".

His decision comes as a Roman market was held in the town. A video was shared on social media by various media outlets, including ABC, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Voters have until 20:00 local time to take part in Spain's general election, that's one more hour before polling stations close.

This is a vote taking place in sweltering temperatures when millions of Spaniards are on holiday. Many have voted by mail or headed to the polling stations before the heat took hold.

Turnout has dipped during the afternoon and two hours ago it reached 53.12%, well down on the last vote. Temperatures reached 39-40C (102-104F) in several areas, says Spain's Aemet weather agency.

The conservative People's Party under Alberto Núñez Feijóo wants to bring an end to five years of left-wing rule under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

So all eyes will be on how many seats both parties can win, and how close Feijóo can get to the 176 he needs to win a majority in parliament.

To form a government he may need the support of far-right party Vox, which would be unprecedented in Spain since the days of the Franco dictatorship.

Voters in the Canary Islands have an extra hour due to the time difference.

Laura Gozzi
in Madrid

Image source, EPA

One of the key figures in this election is Alberto Nunez Feijóo.

The People's Party (PP) leader has long, proudly and rather successfully cultivated a “boring” image, saying recently that "what for some may be boring, I think for the majority of citizens are qualities that a prime minister should have".

But a decades-old scandal which re-emerges regularly has threatened Feijóo’s image of a dull-but-stable politician.

In 2013, Spanish daily El País unearthed photos of Feijóo and a Galician drug trafficker and money launderer called Marcial Dorado on holiday together on a yacht in 1995.

These have been regularly used by Feijóo’s opponents to attack him.

Feijóo has defended himself by saying he was unaware Dorado was a criminal when the two became friends because "back then we had no internet or Google".

Many have pointed out that it’s unlikely Feijóo wouldn’t have known what the source of Dorado’s wealth was – not least as his involvement in criminal activities was well-documented by Spanish media at the time.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Despite turnout easing slightly compared to 2019, a record almost 2.5 million Spaniards have already voted by mail in this unprecedented July election.

That isn't much of a surprise when you consider as many as 10 million people are already taking their summer holiday.

One image of a man in snorkel and flippers, external casting his ballot has already gone viral and others are just taking their beach gear as part of their voting experience.

Image source, Reuters

Many voters got up early to hit the polling station before hitting the beach near Huelva on the south-west coast.

Not everyone's happy with the searing heat in the polling stations. One official at a school in Barcelona complained that if the prime minister had tried voting there they might have had air conditioning.

But Carmela in Valencia on the east coast told El Mundo she couldn't see the problem: "If you're on holiday, vote by mail and if not, do what I'm doing: go and vote and then quietly enjoy the rest of your Sunday."

Some new turnout data has come in from Spain's interior ministry.

As of 18:12 local time on Sunday (17:12 BST), there was about a 53.07% voter turnout in the snap election.

This is lower than at the same time in the last election in November 2019, when that number sat at 56.85%.

The latest numbers suggest Spaniards brought their votes forward in the day as Spain is hit by a heatwave.

It reflects the highly unusual summer election that is clashing with people's holiday plans and the higher-than-average temperatures.

But the numbers do not show the postal vote of about 2.5 million.

Laura Gozzi
in Madrid

Having heard from two voters who are casting ballots for change at this election - others are crossing their fingers that this election brings no upheaval at all.

"To be completely honest, I hope everything stays the same," Madrid resident Silvia says when asked what she would like the outcome of the vote to be.

"I hope the left-wing parties can continue the work they started last year. They increased the minimum salary and benefits for families, which was good for everyone," she says.`