1 of 6 Clockwise: Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Santiago Abascal and Yolanda Diaz on the last day of rallies in Spain Photo: Portal Clockwise: Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Santiago Abascal and Yolanda Diaz on the last day of rallies in Spain Photo: Portal
Spanish voters will take part in a general election this Sunday (23rd) that could bring a farright party to power. Should this happen, it would be the first time since the end of the Franco regime and the country’s redemocratization in 1975 that a farright group would integrate the Spanish government.
There are four main parties in the race:
- left that Socialist Workers’ Party of Spain (Psoe) and the summarize.
- Right that People’s Party and the vox (See below who are the leaders of each of these associations).
The more traditional parties Psoe and PP are leading the dispute. However, no party is expected to elect the 176 MPs guaranteeing a majority in the 350seat parliament, and in practice it will be the thirdplaced party that decides whether the left or the right comes to power, says Ramón Mateo, director of the elections department at consultancy beBartlet.
Vox is a populist, conservative and nationalist party opposed to immigration, samesex marriage and the European Union. Javier Tebas, the Spanish league’s football cylinder, who criticized Brazilian Vini Jr. After being abused by racists during Real Madrid matches, the forward is among the members of Vox.
2 of 6 LaLiga President Javier Tebas. — Photo: Guillermo Martinez/Portal LaLiga President Javier Tebas. — Photo: Guillermo Martinez/Portal
The PP is a moderate party and there are members who don’t like an alliance with Vox, says Mateo. Officially, the party claims that it would rather govern without Vox, but in practice the party’s voters do not particularly care about a possible alliance with the extremist party, as has happened in regional governments.
Currently the government is controlled by a leftwing coalition led by the Psoe Pedro Sánchez, the President, is the leader of the Psoe (Spain is parliamentary but the position of head of government is named after the President and not the Prime Minister).
Familiarize yourself with the following topics:
- Why is Spain voting?
- Who are the leaders of the four major parties?
- What do the polls say?
- It’s not the economy; Why is the opposition leading?
Why is Spain voting?
Regional elections were held in Spain in May, where the Psoe’s performance was considered very poor.
The PP and Vox signed agreements to manage the following regions:
- Extremadura;
- Castile and Leon;
- valueone of the richest regions of the country once ruled by the left.
These rightwing victories in the country dominated the political debate in Spain, and President Pedro Sánchez then decided to bring forward elections scheduled for later in the year.
Who are the leaders of the four major parties?
- Psoe’s Pedro Sánchez, who currently holds the office of President.
3 of 6 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez votes in regional elections on May 28, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. — Photo: Juan Medina/ Portal Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez votes in regional elections in Madrid, Spain, on May 28, 2023. — Photo: Juan Medina/ Portal
The current head of government is not the favorite to win the election. He was President during the Covid19 crisis and has done well (the vaccination was considered a success) and coped well with the economic problems arising from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Much of the criticism the government has faced stems from its alliances with the farleft parties and some of the laws it has enacted.
- Alberto Núñez Feijóo, President of the PP since April 2022
4 of 6 Alberto Núñez Feijoo, in a photo taken in September 2016 Photo: Miguel Vidal/Portal Alberto Núñez Feijoo, in a photo taken in September 2016 Photo: Miguel Vidal/Portal
Feijóo was originally a civil servant. He was elected leader of the Galicia region for four terms (Galicia is a traditional PP stronghold, but has a more moderate profile there than in the rest of the country).
- Santiago Abascal, leader of the farright VOX party.
5 out of 6 Vox leader Santiago Abascal. — Photo: Sergio Perez/Portal Vox boss Santiago Abascal. — Photo: Sergio Perez/Portal
Abascal tries to convey the image of an outsider who wants to save the soul of Spain. Originally from the Popular Party, he left the party over disagreements over separatists in Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Abascal defends classic symbols of Spanish culture (bullfights, for example) and even some aspects of the Franco regime.
He is critical of feminism, he has already stated that he wants to repeal laws against genderbased violence.
- Yolanda Díaz from Sumar is the representative of the leftist parties Sumar and Podemos.
6 of 6 Yolanda Diaz on 24 June 2023 Photo: Isabel Infantes/Portal Yolanda Diaz on 24 June 2023 Photo: Isabel Infantes/Portal
The only woman among the main candidates is the daughter of labor activists, trade unionists and antiFrancoists. She has been Minister of Labor since 2020 and became Pedro Sánchez’s deputy the following year.
In Spain, Yolanda Díaz is seen as a leftist who is more willing to negotiate. She brokered agreements between unions and business groups, secured minimum wage increases and was responsible for companies’ paid furlough plans during the coronavirus pandemic.
What do the polls say?
To dominate the Spanish Parliament, you need 176 MPs. Neither party is likely to be able to reach that number on its own the best will try to forge alliances with the others to reach those 176 seats.
The forecast published by the newspaper “El País” is as follows:
- pp: from 120 to 164 deputies
- psoe: from 89 to 132
- vox: from 18 to 49
- summarize: from 20 to 46
- Other: from 25 to 37
Social scientist Ramon Mateo says the result is likely to be close. The main subject of dispute should be the size of the margin of 1st place over 2nd and 3rd place over 4th.
It’s not the economy; Why is the opposition leading?
The employment rate is low and inflation in Spain is one of the most controlled in all of Europe.
The country’s economy doesn’t have that many problems, and what’s really helping the opposition in these elections, according to Mateo, are two factors:
- A strong polarization leading to the more moderate right accepting an alliance with the extreme right.
- A decay of the nontraditional left: In the regional elections, the Psoe did not lose that many votes, but other left parties, notably Podemos, which was fundamental to the last governing coalition, fared very poorly.
Despite favoring the right, the outcome is open there’s still, Mateo says, the possibility that no one will reach the 176 seats in parliament and it will be necessary to call new elections.