People’s Party Emerges as Winner in Spanish Elections, Poll Results Indicate
Spain Holds General Elections: Right-wing PP Comes out on Top, Turnout Drops
In Spain, the voting process for the general elections concluded yesterday at 8:00 PM local time (9:00 PM GMT), except for the Canary Islands, which have a one-hour time difference. With approximately 37.4 million registered voters, the country witnessed an important electoral event.
According to a survey conducted by Sigma Dos and announced by the Spanish state television TVE, the right-wing People’s Party (PP) emerged as the leading opposition party in the elections. However, the PP did not secure a parliamentary majority based on the poll results. As a result, they would need to form a coalition with the far-right Vox party to establish the expected government.
The distribution of seats in the 350-seat Spanish parliament, as per the survey published on TVE, stands as follows: PP 145-150, Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) 113-118, Sumar (a newly formed party alliance) 28-32, Vox 24-27, and other parties 30-35.
If these predictions hold true, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, a 62-year-old leader who was appointed president of the PP about a year ago, might become the country’s prime minister. If Feijoo succeeds, an extreme right-wing party would come to power in Spain for the first time since the time of dictator Franco, marking a historic shift in Spanish democracy.
Meanwhile, voter turnout for the elections was relatively low. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Interior, approximately 53.12 percent of eligible voters participated in the elections. This figure indicates a decrease of about 4 percentage points compared to the previous elections held in 2019.
Extreme heat during the election day led to the placement of fans next to many ballot boxes across the country. Additionally, there was an unprecedented surge in the number of votes cast by mail, attributed to the holiday period. Around 2.47 million Spaniards opted for this voting method, marking a significant increase compared to the last elections.
As Spain awaits the final results and the formation of a government, the outcome of these elections will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for the country’s political landscape and its future direction.
