Conservatives Triumph in Spain Election but Miss Majority Threshold

By IndraStra Global News Team

Cover Image Attribute: In Madrid on Sunday, July 23, 2023, followers of Spain's mainstream conservative Popular Party displayed their enthusiasm by waving flags as they eagerly awaited the address of their leader, Alberto Feijoo, after the country's general election. / Source: Manu Fernandez / Associated Press

Spain's recent general election outcome has plunged the nation into uncertainty, raising concerns about potential political deadlock in the formation of the next government. Following the snap vote, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of Spain's Populist Party, declared victory; however, he lacks the majority needed, even with the far-right's support. Consequently, negotiations are now in motion to establish a new government and avert the need for another election.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for the early election in the wake of the left's significant losses in the May local elections, which were initially slated for December. The timing of the election, just three weeks after Spain assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union, adds to its significance. The Popular Party (PP), a conservative faction, secured the most seats (136) but failed to attain an outright majority in parliament. The Socialist Party emerged second with 122 seats, performing better than expected, and the left-wing Sumar won 31 seats. 
Kindly note the election occurred during the peak of summer, a period when a considerable portion of voters might have been absent from their regular polling places due to vacations, coupled with the aftermath of a month marked by heat waves. Overall, the voter turnout was reported at 70.4%. An unprecedented number of 2.47 million out of the 37.5 million registered voters cast absentee ballots even before the polling stations opened. However, with only 99.7% of the votes counted so far, a hung parliament seems imminent, necessitating a coalition to achieve an absolute majority.
Anticipations of a coalition between the PP and the far-right Vox party were thwarted as their combined seats (169) fell seven short of the required 176 for a clear majority. In response, left-wing parties may now attempt to unite forces to ascertain if they have the numbers to govern.
If such a left-wing partnership, possibly with a third party, materializes, it would mark the first time a far-right party has entered government in Spain since the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship in the 1970s. Consequently, several smaller parties are expected to refrain from joining such a coalition. Meanwhile, the radical left-wing Sumar, a coalition of 15 small leftist parties backing the Socialists, won 31 seats, potentially granting a coalition with Sanchez 153 seats.
Apart from these national parties, the remaining ones are primarily region-specific. The two Catalan pro-independence parties, previously supportive of a Sanchez-led government, experienced a reduction in their number of seats. Nevertheless, they could still wield significant influence as kingmakers if Sanchez seeks to retain his position as prime minister. However, their demand for a referendum on Catalonia's independence might pose an obstacle to joining a coalition.
Failure by either side to form a governing coalition could lead to yet another election, prolonging the uncertainty and casting doubts on the future stability of Spain's government. The country now faces a critical juncture in its political landscape, with the need for effective negotiations and compromises to pave the way for a viable government.

IndraStra Global is now available on
Apple News, Google News, Flipboard, RSS, and Telegram

COPYRIGHT: This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

REPUBLISH: Republish our articles online or in print for free if you follow these guidelines. https://www.indrastra.com/p/republish-us.html