Madrid (dpa) - Spanish Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who took a second consecutive election victory a month ago, failed to be reconfirmed as prime minister by parliament in a first round of voting on Wednesday.

Zapatero's investiture was backed by 168 votes, all of them coming from his Socialist Party, in the 350-seat parliament. An absolute majority would have required at least
176 votes.

There were 158 votes against his confirmation, while 23 MPs abstained.

Zapatero appeared virtually certain to be elected Friday in a second round of voting which requires a simple instead of an absolute majority.

Zapatero was the first Spanish prime minister elected in a popular vote not to be reconfirmed in a first round of voting.

His investiture was opposed by the 154 legislators of the main opposition conservative People's Party (PP) and two small parties.

Parties abstaining included Basque and Catalan regionalists, who had sought extensive concessions towards more self-government in exchange for backing him.

The Socialist Party, however, denies that the parliamentary vote heralds a weak government.

Zapatero had decided to accept a simple majority, because he did not want to become endebted to regionalists whose demands have created divisions between the government and the opposition, analysts said.

The PP has accused Zapatero of endangering Spain's unity by granting more autonomy to regions such as Catalonia in the north- east.

Zapatero presented his government programme on Tuesday, calling for cross-party unity on issues including a reform of regional financial powers and the fight against the militant Basque separatist group ETA.

He also announced measures to curb the ongoing economic slowdown, with growth expected to fall from 3.8 per cent in 2007 to possibly even less than 2 per cent this year.

The parliamentary debate took place in a more conciliatory atmosphere than the previous legislature, which was marked by acrimonious relations between the government and a PP highly critical of the government's failed attempt to negotiate with ETA. dpa st ds fs