The election in Spain

Valet i Spanien

A woman votes in Pamplona. Alvaro Barrientos / AP  

 

The election in Spain 

Right now: Polarized as Spain goes to the polls - "gets into a bad mood easily"  

 

The polling stations have opened in Spain and many observers are expecting a right turn. For the Spanish, the debate climate has partly been harsh during the election campaign.  

 

- You have to be careful when talking about politics at dinners and with friends. It can easily become a bad atmosphere, says Lorena Zapata, whom Ekot meets on a street in Valencia.  

 

The opinion polls indicate that the conservative PP will be the largest, but the party probably needs the support of the far-right Vox for a majority in parliament. 

 

The election has been called since Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez went on a landslide in the regional and local elections in May.  

 

Sánchez's new possible government partner is the broad left-wing alliance Sumar, which consists of about ten left-wing and climate groups, including the left-wing parties Podemos and Izquierda Unida. 

 

Pedro Sanchez. Emilio Morenatti / AP  

 

Political scientist: In the end, everything is about Sánchez  

 

Most of the Spanish election is ultimately about Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Political scientist Victor Lapuente tells TT. Criticism of the Social Democrats has existed since the beginning. 

 

- At first it was said that he was not one hundred percent legitimate prime minister, because he came to power through a vote of no confidence, says Lapuente.  

 

At the same time, many are satisfied with his coalition government on an economic level. Many voters have appreciated reforms such as a higher minimum wage and more permanent employment. The country has also avoided the worst economic consequences of Russia's war on Ukraine.  

 

Sánchez's new possible government partner is the broad leftist alliance Sumar, led by Second Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz. But most things point to a right-wing turn where the conservative PP becomes the largest and is forced to seek support, likely from the far-right Vox.  

 

Santiago Abascal with supporters in Madrid, July 21. TT  

 

Vox: "Yes to nature, no to climate fundamentalism"  

 

The far-right party Vox leader Santiago Abascal yesterday held his last campaign meeting before the new Spanish election on Sunday.  

 

- Yes to nature, but no to climate fundamentalism, and no to the EU's harmful 2030 agenda. Spain above all! Abascal said according to Echo.  

 

The environmentalist politician Juan López de Uralde, former head of Greenpeace in Spain, says in an interview with El País that he is worried about the consequences of a new right-wing government. He believes that the right-wing engages in populism and, among other things, exploits the rural opposition to climate reforms. 

 

- I don't understand why farmers support Vox's climate denial, when they are most affected.  

 

According to observers, the most likely outcome of the election is that the Social Democrat-led coalition is replaced by a right-wing coalition in which the conservative PP receives support from Vox.