Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez calls for snap elections after heavy loss in regional ballots

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called an early general election for July 23, on Monday (May 29) after his left-wing coalition government suffered heavy losses in the local and regional polls. This comes as he had previously said that he wanted to see the full term in office, in line with whichthe national elections were supposedto take place sometime in December.

Spanish PM’s announcement

The announcement was made in a televised address to the nation, where Sanchezsaid that he had informed King Felipe VI of his decision to dissolve parliament. This also comes a day after his Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) and their junior ally Podemos lost ground in the local and regional elections to the conservative People’s Party (PP) and right-wing party Vox.

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“I took the decision when looking at the results of the elections of yesterday,” said Sanchez. He added, “Although yesterday’s elections had a local and regional scope, the meaning of the vote conveys a message that goes beyond that. That is why, as both prime minister and PSOE’s secretary-general, I personally assume the results.”

Notably, Sanchez had previously said he would complete his four-year term which indicated that the elections will be held sometime in December, which would also be close to the end of Spain’s rotational presidency of the European Union which begins on July 1.

“I believe it is necessary to respond and submit our democratic mandate to the will of the people,” said Sanchez, in the televised address.

What happened in the regional and local elections?

In the local vote, PP secured a significant win, garnering 31.5 per cent of the votes. Meanwhile, the PSOE, which currently leads the government, maintained a narrow dominance with 28.2 per cent of the votes. However, it also marks a 1.2 percentage point decrease for PSOE when compared to 2019 and almost a nine-point increase for the conservatives.

These results, based on more than 97 per cent of votes counted, were revealed by the Interior Ministry. Meanwhile, the PP, in the regional elections won in seven of the 12 regions contested some of which were previously won by PSOE, including Valencia, Aragon and La Rioja.

The Socialists also faced significant setbacks with losses in the Valencia, Aragon, and Balearic Island regions, as well as in the traditionally Socialist stronghold of Extremadura in southwestern Spain.The PP also secured an absolute majority in the city of Madrid.

(With inputs from agencies)

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