Spain’s People’s Party Wins Andalucían Election but Loses Absolute Majority

Spain’s conservative People’s Party won Sunday’s Andalucían regional election but fell two seats short of an absolute majority in the 109-seat regional parliament. The party secured 53 seats, five fewer than the 58 it held after the 2022 election. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party dropped from 30 seats to 28, while Vox increased from 14 seats to 15.

The left-wing Adelante Andalucía party rose from two seats to six, and the leftist coalition Por Andalucía retained its five seats.

The results were reported after voting in Spain’s most populous region. Regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno stated before the vote that he had “no interest in governing with Vox” and planned to govern alone. ” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez congratulated Moreno and said his party would continue to pursue social and political advances.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal urged Moreno to follow the preferences of the 576,000 Andalucíans who supported his party and its “national priority” policy on housing and benefits. The outcome sets up negotiations between the People’s Party and Vox that could last several months before a new regional government is formed.