The Spanish opposition right-wing People’s Party (PP) has secured the most votes in the snap parliamentary elections, but it may not be enough to form a new government.
After counting 99% of the votes, the PP obtained 33% of the votes, equivalent to 136 out of 350 seats in the lower house of parliament, while the socialists of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (PSOE) garnered 31.7% of the votes and 122 parliamentary mandates.
The far-right party Vox, which offered a partnership to the People’s Party in forming a government, won 33 seats in parliament, but the combined 169 seats of these two parties would still fall short of the necessary majority as they would lack seven mandates.
However, if a third party joins the right-wing bloc in post-election negotiations, it would be the first time a far-right party enters the government in Spain since the end of General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship.
PP leader Albert Nunez Feijoo told his supporters in Madrid after the election that his party would try to form a government.
“As the candidate of the party that won the most seats, I consider it my duty to try to form a government,” Feijoo stated, urging no one to be tempted to block the formation of a new government, adding that Spain does not need a period of uncertainty.
The current Prime Minister Sanchez also celebrated the result from his party’s headquarters balcony, as the Socialists won more seats and a higher percentage of votes compared to the 2019 elections.
He told his supporters that the projected victory of the conservative and far-right bloc had failed.
“The regressive bloc composed of the People’s Party and Vox has been defeated,” Sanchez concluded.
Photo: facebook/NunezFeijoo