Far-right loses speed in Spain regional election

Spain’s conservative opposition Popular Party (Partido Popular – PP) won another regional election on Sunday, with the far right advancing less than expected and the governing Socialists improving on previous results.

The vote in the rural Castilla y Leon region northwest of Madrid followed polls in Extremadura and Aragon, where the scandal-hit Socialists suffered heavy defeats.

With 98% of votes counted, the Popular Party, in power there for nearly four decades, won 33 seats in the 82‑member regional parliament, official results showed.

The Socialists secured 30 seats, while far‑right Vox won 14, a smaller number than anticipated.

The Popular Party will need to negotiate with Vox to try to form a regional government, with an eye on the 2027 general election, where polls suggest they could command a majority against the party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

It was the first election since Sanchez emerged as a prominent critical voice on the US-Israeli war against Iran.

(sma)