By Smartencyclopedia *

The conservative Popular Party in Spain has made notable advancements in the recent local and regional elections, indicating a significant shift in public sentiment towards the ruling left-wing coalition prior to the upcoming general elections in December.

The elections have brought about a discernible alteration in the political landscape of local and regional power in Spain. According to the Interior Ministry’s published results, the Popular Party secured 31.5% of the votes in the local election, surpassing the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), which currently leads the central government, with 28.2% of the votes, as over 97% of the ballots have been counted.

Although the Popular Party’s gains are noteworthy, they might need the assistance of the far right to form a coalition and govern certain regions.

PSOE experienced a decrease of 1.2 percentage points compared to the 2019 elections, while the PP witnessed a substantial increase of nearly 9 points. The PP’s surge was bolstered by the disintegration of the centrist Citizens Party.

Additionally, the PP displayed dominance in several regions, such as Valencia, Aragon, and La Rioja, which were previously held by PSOE.

Spain’s regional governments possess significant authority and discretion in matters concerning education, health, housing, and policing, as they wield substantial power and control over budgets.

Furthermore, the recent elections witnessed the transfer of important cities like Valencia and Seville from the Socialists to the Popular Party (PP). Notably, the PP achieved an absolute majority for the mayor’s position in the capital, Madrid.

These election results signify a return to the traditional two-party system that previously dominated Spanish politics, before the emergence of Podemos (far-left) and Ciudadanos (center-right) parties.

In Barcelona, Ada Colau will not continue as the city’s mayor. The independentist coalition “Together for Catalonia,” led by Xavier Trias, emerged as the frontrunner, followed by the Socialists. The leadership of the municipality remains uncertain due to potential alliances.

The far-right Vox movement experienced significant growth, more than doubling their representation among local councilors to reach 7.2%. This implies that they will hold considerable influence over policy decisions in cities where the PP requires their votes.

The local elections had over 35 million eligible voters, with a turnout of 63.9%, slightly lower than in 2019.

Source: With Agencies