Centre-right political parties expected to form government in Andalusia regional elections
Today, citizens of Spain’s most populous autonomous region, Andalusia, head to the polls for regional elections.
These elections are the first to be held since June, when Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) took power. Andalusia has been a stronghold of the centre-left PSOE for decades, but a recent corruption scandal has rocked the region’s branch of the party. However, polls indicate that the PSOE will receive enough votes to create a new coalition government in the southern region.
Right-wing parties have increased their presence in Andalusia for these elections, though. The conservative People’s Party and the populist Vox have focused on illegal migration, finding an audience in a region experiencing an influx of immigrants from the Mediterranean.
Today’s elections will serve as a litmus test for PM Sanchez’s government. A strong showing by the People’s Party and Vox could give the prime minister reasons to worry leading up to 2020 national elections, since the PSOE holds less than a quarter of legislative seats nationally. Conversely, a decisive PSOE victory will galvanise the party’s support ahead of other regional elections nationwide.
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