Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialists appeared headed for another setback as a key regional election in Andalusia began on Sunday, a possible dress rehearsal for next year’s national vote.
Corruption investigations into his family and former top political allies have eroded Sanchez’s popularity at home, even as clashes with US President Donald Trump and Israel increase his standing abroad.
Regions wield wide-ranging powers in areas including health, education and housing in Spain’s decentralised political system, making the election in the country’s most populous region especially significant.
Andalusia — a sun-soaked tourist magnet famed for its Mediterranean beach resorts and historic cities such as Seville, Granada and Cordoba — was governed by the Socialists for almost 40 years.
But polling suggests the main conservative Popular Party (PP), which came to power in the southern region in 2019, will again defeat the Socialists in their historic heartland.
Whether the PP would achieve another majority was unclear, which could make far-right party Vox a kingmaker — a scenario that played out after recent regional elections in Extremadura, Aragon and Castile and Leon.
‘Worth double’
After resounding defeats for the left in those regions, another drubbing in Andalusia would be particularly painful for Sanchez, whose candidate is his former deputy and ex-finance minister Maria Jesus Montero.
The PP has presented Montero as the face of central government failures — as finance minister she failed to pass a budget during the current parliament — and tainted by Socialist corruption scandals.
A vote for Andalusia’s PP leader Juanma Moreno “is worth double: to ensure Andalusia wins and to change the government of Spain”, the party’s national leader, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, told a final campaign rally on Friday.
The PP has agreed coalition governments with Vox in Extremadura and Aragon and not ruled out cooperation at rhe national level if a general election, expected in 2027, yields inconclusive results.
That has set it apart from other mainstream European conservative parties, which have insisted on a “sanitary cordon” against the far right.
In his final campaign address on Friday, Sanchez urged Andalusians to back Montero, “a tenacious, committed, hard-working woman with convictions”, to avoid Vox entering the regional government with the PP.
Polling stations in the region of almost nine million people — roughly 18 percent of Spain’s population — opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT) and were due to close at 8:00 pm.
