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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez‘s Socialists appeared headed for a historic defeat in the Andalusian regional elections, in a result that could shape the political atmosphere ahead of the country’s next national vote.
With 85% of ballots counted late Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party was projected to secure only 28 of the 109 parliamentary seats — its worst-ever performance in Andalusia.
The conservative People’s Party, led in the region by Juanma Moreno, was on course to win 52 seats, falling just short of an outright majority.
Meanwhile, the far-right Vox looked set to secure 16 seats, positioning the party as a potential kingmaker, similar to its role in coalition arrangements in other Spanish regions.
Andalusia, Spain’s most populous region and a major tourist destination known for cities such as Seville, Granada and Córdoba, had been governed by the Socialists for nearly four decades before the PP took control in 2019.
Turnout exceeded 64 per cent, around eight percentage points higher than in the previous regional election in 2022.
The poor showing is expected to intensify pressure on Sánchez, whose government has faced mounting domestic criticism over corruption investigations involving relatives and former political associates.
The Socialist candidate, former deputy prime minister and ex-finance minister María Jesús Montero, was also targeted by opposition criticism over economic management and the government’s failure to pass a national budget.
Moreno suggested the election carried national importance, noting Andalusia’s political influence due to its population of nearly nine million people.
“What happens in Andalusia clearly determines other things as well,” he told journalists after casting his vote in Málaga.
The PP has already formed coalition governments with Vox in regions including Extremadura and Aragon, and has not ruled out similar cooperation nationally if future election results produce a hung parliament.
