Delayed results show opposition conservatives win El Salvador vote

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - El Salvador's main conservative opposition party narrowly won the most seats in legislative elections earlier this month, electoral authorities said on Friday, a result which could force the ruling leftist government to seek a middle ground with the newly elected lawmakers. The bungled March 1 vote provoked a major vote-counting delay, even sparking allegations of sabotage before an investigation failed to substantiate them. Legislative results showed that the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena) won 32 seats while the ruling Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) party claimed 31. The Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party came in third with 11 members of the legislative body. The FMLN party previously held a 4-seat plurality in the 84-member body. ARENA also won the majority of the mayoral races that were also up for grabs, but the FMLN did retake the capital. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Kim Coghill)