What surprises might Spanish voters have in store? On Sunday 28th April, Spain goes to the polls in a snap election prompted by a parliamentary impasse over the 2019 budget. It will be Spain’s third general election in three-and-a-half years, in a country that has not experienced a solid government majority since 2014. The long shadow of the 2008 recession hangs over the vote, and any incoming administration will have to tackle Spain’s enormous outstanding debt, persistent unemployment, as well as the immigration crisis and, perhaps most importantly, the controversial Catalan question.
Polls are anticipating a messy result, with the likeliest outcome being yet another coalition government, with none of the five political blocs expected to obtain the 176 seats necessary to govern alone. The centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), the party that has spent the most time in government in modern Spain, and the conservative People’s Party (PP) are predicted to win the most votes.
Where does each party stand with regards to Catalonia? The PSOE, led by current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, proposes a more moderate policy towards the Catalan question, including improved autonomy for the region. This stands in contrast with the rightist PP, who tout the integrity of the Spanish state as a core principle. The centre-right Citizens party take a tougher stance, potentially seeking temporary direct rule over the region, while the far-right Vox party urges the elimination of the autonomous regions altogether. The radical left Podemos party supports a negotiated referendum for Catalonia.
So, what’s at stake? Spain, like many European member states, faces a sharp turn to the right not seen since the Franco era. Vox is a new far-right nationalist contender in the 2019 race, following its 2018 debut in Andalusian elections where it unexpectedly won more than 10% of the vote. Some of its more extreme policies include repealing gender violence legislation and slashing immigration numbers in wake of the record number of migrant arrivals to Spain in 2018 (an increase of 130% since the year before).
Will the upcoming Spanish elections restore political stability? Or will Spanish politics remain a system of thin majorities, fragile coalitions, and volatile governments? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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Let’s hope the left, centre and moderate right prevail…Spain of all countries knows the perils if extreme nationalist and right wing government!
We hope so…law and order should be restored .
I hope that PSOE and Podemos have a good result both of them and that they have together the majority in the “Congreso de los diputados”. I hope Pedro Sanchez remains Prime minister.
Hope PP, Citizens and Vox will not secure enough seats to build a coalition government. Hope that Vox do less well than predicted in the polls. Probably end up with yes an unstable system of thin majorities and , fragile coalitions. with PSOE doing a juggling act. Hope PSOE can form alliances wuth Podemos and not C’s. Lots of hope but the politics of fear is probably what will determine most people’s votes.But unless the next government of Spain get on board in a big way wity the new green deal there won’t be much of a future.
Spain is corrupted, police making fake news to the right ( not center right) INDRA who coubts votes have conexions with the corrupted PP .
The increased participation of voters should indicate there is a progressive reaction to the right-wing populist movement. The problem is more serious due to a constitutional crisis the leading alternating parties in government refuse to admit. The Spanish monarchy’s credibility is seriously questioned and corruption has been traced to the former king, who has been given immunity. Is that democracy?