Spain's Socialists on course to regain power but talks await
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looks set to regain power after his Socialists overcame a historic challenge by right-wing nationalists in elections on Sunday, a result he portrayed as a morale booster for the European Union.
The Socialists gained seats in one of Spain’s most hotly contested elections in decades, which featured the rise of far-right party Vox whose ultra-nationalist campaign echoed political trends across Europe where traditional parties have ceded to anti-immigration and eurosceptic forces.
However, the rise of Vox also splintered the right-wing vote, further fragmenting Spain’s political landscape and playing into the hands of the Socialists which won an almost 50 percent increase in seats.
“The Socialists have won the general election,” Sanchez declared, smiling broadly as he addressed jubilant supporters at party headquarters in Madrid. Outside, hundreds celebrated in the street, waving red party flags and chanting ‘Long live Spain’ and ‘Long live Socialism’.
“Social democracy has a great future because it has a great present and Spain is an example of that. We will form a pro-European government to strengthen and not weaken Europe,” he added.
The result is likely to come as a relief for supporters of further European Union integration ahead of May 26 elections for European Parliament amid fears that Vox could have gained a share of power in Spain.
Vox secured one in 10 votes and 24 seats, the first far-right party to get a sizeable presence in parliament since the country’s return to democracy in the late 1970s, but it did not get the kingmaker role it was looking for.
Far left-wing party Podemos immediately offered to open coalition talks with Sanchez, though the two parties together cannot command a majority.
“I have expressed to him ... our willingness to work towards a coalition government,” Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias told supporters in Madrid. Forming such a coalition “will take much time and I would ask for your patience”, he added.
The Socialists and Podemos are set to fall around 11 seats short of a parliamentary majority, but bridging the gap would require Sanchez to also rely on Basque nationalists and other small parties.
It was unclear in the early hours of Monday if he would also require the support of separatist lawmakers from Catalonia, the country’s richest region where a push for independence flared into violence two years ago.
“Pedro Sanchez is in a good position,” said Pablo Simon, a political science professor at Madrid’s Carlos III University.
A government deal would be complicated and certainly not be clinched before next month’s European Parliament elections, he added.
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