Right-wing opposition narrowly wins elections in Spain, but no party has enough support to form government | Abroad

The Conservatives score worse than the exit polls predicted, winning 136 seats (+47), the Socialists winning 122 (+2). Exit polls indicated that opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s Partido Popular (PP) would become the largest party, which it did, albeit with fewer seats than expected.

Even with the support of the radical right Vox (33) or the radical left SUMAR (31), neither the PP nor the PSOE managed to secure an absolute majority of 176 seats. This means that the small parties hold the key to power and have already announced that they will sell their skin dearly.

Prime Minister Sánchez, who has gained two seats with his party, has claimed victory for the left. “The looking back bloc, which sought to undo all the progress we have made over the past four years, has failed,” a delighted Sanchez told supporters.

Since his PSOE has more possible allies in parliament than the PP and Vox, it seems plausible that Sánchez could run for a third term as prime minister. In that case, he may have to ask for the support of the Catalan Junts, the separatist party of the fugitive independence leader Carles Puigdemont. If he does not, new elections are not ruled out.

In a speech to his supporters, Núñez Feijóo also said that he and his PP are claiming the initiative to form a government.

According to observers, Spain is likely to face weeks of coalition negotiations, which could even lead to a so-called bloqueo. That political impasse already occurred after the elections of 2015 and 2019. Both times, voters had to cast their vote for a second time to break the blockade.

Prime Minister Sánchez decided to bring forward the elections scheduled for the end of this year after the unexpected loss of his PSOE and other left-wing parties in regional and local elections at the end of May.