Spain slides to the right, Feijóo wins but does not have an absolute majority amid high voter turnout

The Spanish general election ended with Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s Popular Party (PP, right) gaining an electoral majority with 136 seats, an increase of 47 compared to the 2019 elections.

Despite this victory, the PP failed to achieve the absolute majority of 176 seats necessary to form a government outright.

Nearly 98% of the votes counted revealed a voter turnout of around 70%, with the PP receiving approximately eight million votes.

Feijóo acknowledged the trust placed in the PP by the electorate and pledged to open a dialogue to form a government in line with the electoral outcome.

Pedro Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) won 122 seats, slightly better than anticipated, with nearly 7.62 million votes.

Sánchez emphasized the strength of the Spanish democracy and the growth of his party’s influence.

Vox, a right-leaning party, secured 33 seats with nearly three million votes. However, a possible coalition with PP still falls short of the required majority.

Similarly, a potential coalition between PSOE and the left-wing coalition Sumar wouldn’t reach the majority either.

Nationalist parties from Basque and Catalonia, and Sumar achieved modest victories, but their support for a potential PP/Vox coalition remains uncertain.

The early general election on July 23, uniquely held during the summer vacation season, is set to decide Spain’s leadership for the next four years during a time when Spain holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The election day saw a record number of postal votes and an increased voter turnout compared to the 2019 elections.

This change confirms the trend in Europe and could disrupt European political alliances, especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Europe next year.