Spain's conservative People's Party (PP) won Sunday's regional election in Andalucía but lost its absolute majority, leaving it dependent on the support or abstention of the far-right Vox party to form a new government. The outcome in Spain's most populous region serves as a barometer of wider electoral opinion ahead of next year's general election.
Election Results
The PP secured 53 seats in the 109-seat regional parliament, two seats short of an absolute majority and five fewer than the 58 seats it won in the 2022 election. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), led nationally by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, dropped from 30 seats to 28, an all-time low. Vox gained one seat, rising from 14 to 15. The left-wing Adelante Andalucía party surged from two seats to eight, while the leftist coalition Por Andalucía retained its five seats from four years ago.
Reactions and Negotiations
Regional PP leader Juan Manuel "Juanma" Moreno now faces negotiations with Vox to return to office. During the campaign, Moreno stated, "I have no interest in governing with Vox. None at all." He criticized Vox's "national priority" policy, which favors Spaniards over foreign-born residents in housing and benefits, calling it "an empty slogan." However, Vox has made this policy a key part of coalition agreements with the PP in other regions like Extremadura and Aragón.
After the results, Moreno said his party had come close to another absolute majority, adding, "It's true that we didn't get the top marks we were hoping for, but we've still achieved an outstanding grade." He insisted he had a mandate "to continue transforming Andalucía" and promised "four more years of reforms and stability."
The PP described its win as a "resounding victory" and called the PSOE's result "catastrophic." Prime Minister Sánchez congratulated Moreno but said his party would continue driving social and political advances. Vox leader Santiago Abascal urged Moreno to heed the 576,000 Andalucíans who backed Vox, claiming they "believe in national priority and believe that regional governments can work to stop the migrant invasion."
Polls ahead of next year's general election suggest the PP is on track to defeat Sánchez, whose administration has faced corruption scandals. However, the conservatives are expected to fall short of an absolute majority nationally, likely requiring Vox's support to govern.
