Spain heads to the polls on Sunday for a closely contested general election, characterized by ideological differences, the rise of far-right politics, and frustration over voting during the summer holidays.
Voting will commence at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) and conclude at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT). Exit polls will be released afterward, with experts predicting that the final result will be determined by less than a million votes and fewer than 10 seats in the 350-seat parliament.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, from the Socialist party, called for the election after the left faced a major setback in the May local elections. However, many citizens are discontented with being compelled to vote in the scorching summer heat.
The Spanish postal service reported a record-breaking 2.4 million postal votes, as numerous individuals opted to cast their ballots from more pleasant locations like the beach or mountains rather than their hometowns.
Opinion polls indicate that the election, which many candidates have portrayed as determining the future of Spain, will likely result in a victory for the center-right People’s Party. Nevertheless, to form a government, they will need to align with the far-right party Vox. If this occurs, it would mark the first time a far-right party has entered the government since the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship in the 1970s.
In a recent note to clients, Barclays stated, “The status quo scenario and a hung parliament are still a real possibility, likely with 50% combined odds in our view.” This is due to the slim margin in favor of the People’s Party and the overall uncertainty surrounding polling and voter turnout.
Sanchez’s minority Socialist (PSOE) government, currently in alliance with the far-left Unidas Podemos, which is participating in Sunday’s election under the Sumar platform, has enacted progressive laws on euthanasia, transgender rights, abortion, and animal rights. The government has cautioned that these rights could be rolled back if the anti-feminist and family values-oriented Vox party becomes part of the next government.
Pedro Sanchez, popularly known as “El Guapo” (Mr. Handsome), has faced numerous crises during his term as prime minister, including managing the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic aftermath, as well as the political upheaval resulting from the failed 2017 independence bid in Catalonia.
Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of the People’s Party, who has never lost an election in his native Galicia, has positioned himself as a stable and reliable choice, seeking to leverage his reputation for being unassuming and dependable.
Forming a new government will depend on complex negotiations that could last for weeks or months, and there is even a possibility of fresh elections. Such uncertainty may impact Madrid’s ability to effectively fulfill its role as the current host of the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, as well as its allocation of EU COVID recovery funds.
(Reporting by Jessica Jones; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
