Tories win – clearly missing out on an outright majority
The conservative People’s Party won the early parliamentary elections. However, it was not clear whether it would be sufficient to form an alliance with the right-wing populists. Forming a government is likely to be long and complicated.
Thumbs up: Conservative candidate Alberto Núñez Fijo.
Photo: Keystone
According to forecasts, the conservative opposition People’s Party won the parliamentary elections in Spain on Sunday, but it is clear that it lost the absolute majority.
The former head of government, Pedro Sánchez, was second only to the socialist PSOE. It was not entirely clear on election night whether the winner of the elections for the People’s Party, Alberto Núñez Figo, would succeed in forming a government. Right-wing populist FoxFeijóo, whom Feijóo did not rule out working with, made it clear on election night that she wanted to enter government. Vox Secretary General Ignacio Garriga warned that you will not “compromise” your votes.
According to projections based on a count of 83% of the votes, the People’s Party can hope to secure 135 seats in the parliament in Madrid. Although Vox suffered losses and gained only 33 seats, it is ironic that it is likely to greatly increase its political influence. Whether both parties would achieve an outright majority of 176 seats was initially questioned on election evening. PSOE came second with 123 seats. Its left-wing partner, the New Electoral Alliance Somar, came in fourth with 31 seats.
Prime Minister since 2018: Pedro Sanchez
Photo: Ander Jelena (AFP)
If the People’s Party and Vox lose the outright majority, they will count on the support or at least the tolerance of the minor parties in the “Congreso de los Diputados”. This is unlikely given other parties’ opposition to right-wing populists. This could mean a prolonged stalemate for the EU’s fourth-largest economy, which currently holds the union’s presidency. The “Bloqueo,” a political blockade of the sort that happened twice in a row after the 2015 and 2019 elections and required a second round of voting in each case, seemed not to be ruled out.
Like partner parties in Hungary and Poland, Vox has a very unique understanding of the rule of law. She is also Eurosceptic and advocates making money from prestigious left-wing projects in the areas of social affairs, protecting minorities and the environment, and cracking down on separatists. There is no such thing as a firewall on the right in Spain, as there is in Germany against the AfD. In some regions, PP and Vox rule together. A “grand coalition” cannot be thought of in Spain. Figo has emphasized several times that Sánchez does not even want to tolerate a minority government of the People’s Party, thus leaving him with “no other choice” than to speak to Vox.
Parts of the Senate were re-elected on Sunday, as well as the Congresso de los Diputados. But in Spain, the Senate plays no role in forming the government. Parliamentary elections were scheduled for the end of the year only. But Sanchez favored it after the leftist parties were defeated in the May 28 regional elections. The left-wing government has repeatedly warned that a right-wing government will undo the social gains made in recent years and set the country back decades. I went inaudible.
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