The conservative People’s Party has won the parliamentary elections in Spain. However, contrary to many polls, it was not enough for an absolute majority of the conservatives with the right-wing populists from Vox.
The conservative opposition People’s Party (PP) won the parliamentary elections in Spain, but clearly missed an absolute majority. The previous head of government, Pedro Sánchez, came second with his socialist PSOE. But it was completely unclear on election night whether PP election winner Alberto Núñez Feijóo would succeed in forming a government.
The right-wing populist Vox, with which Feijóo had not ruled out cooperation, made it clear on election night that it wanted to be in government. You will not “give away” your own votes, said Vox Secretary General Ignacio Garriga. However, after counting almost all the votes, PP and Vox together missed the absolute majority, contrary to many polls, and need more partners.
Will there be a political blockade?
According to the official results available, the PP won 136 seats in Parliament in Madrid. Vox has suffered losses and has only 33 seats (19 fewer than in 2019), but paradoxically it could increase its political influence because Feijóo is likely to enter into negotiations with it.
PP and Vox together only got 169 votes, 7 fewer than the absolute majority of 176 seats. Feijóo is likely to try to gain these votes in negotiations with smaller parties. Prime Minister Sánchez’s PSOE came second with 122 seats. Its left-wing partner, the newly formed electoral alliance Sumar, won 31 seats.
If Feijóo fails to form a government, another election may be necessary. As a result, the fourth largest economy in the EU, which currently holds the presidency of the Union, could face a long stalemate. A “bloqueo”, a political blockade of the kind that occurred twice in a row after the 2015 and 2019 elections and required a second round of voting in each case, did not seem impossible.
“Grand coalition” unthinkable in Spain
Like partner parties in Hungary and Poland, Vox has a very unique understanding of the rule of law. She is also Eurosceptic and calls for cashing in on prestige left-wing projects in the areas of social affairs, the protection of minorities and the environment, and for cracking down on separatists.
There is no so-called firewall to the right in Spain, as there is in Germany against the AfD. In some regions, PP and Vox already rule together. A “grand coalition” is unthinkable in Spain. Sánchez does not even want to tolerate a PP minority government and therefore leaves him “no choice” but to talk to Vox, Feijóo emphasized several times.
On Sunday, parts of the Senate were re-elected in addition to the lower house “Congreso de los Diputados”. In Spain, however, the upper house plays no role in forming a government. The parliamentary elections were actually only planned for the end of the year. But Sánchez preferred it after the debacle of the left parties in the May 28 regional elections. The left-wing government repeatedly warned that a right-wing government would undo the social gains of recent years and set the country back decades. She went unheard.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
