[ad_1]
Here’s what you need to know about voting.
What is at stake?
Opinion polls indicate that the political right has an advantage entering the elections, and this raises the possibility that the neo-fascist party will be part of the next Spanish government.
The far right has not been in power in Spain since the transition to democracy following the death of former dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
With no party expected to win an outright majority, the electorate’s choice is essentially between another left-wing ruling coalition or an alliance between the right and the far right.
The centre-right Popular Party, which is leading in opinion polls, and the far-right Vox party are on one side.
They portray the vote as an opportunity to end “sanchismo” – a term used by the People’s Party to sum up what it asserts are the dictatorial ways of the socialist prime minister. Pedro Sanchezthe radical left ideology and numerous lies by the government.
In the other corner are the Socialists and a new movement called Soumar, which for the first time brings together 15 small left-wing parties. They warn that putting the right in power will threaten Spain’s post-Franco changes.
Why were early elections called?
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called snap elections a day after Spain’s Socialist Workers’ Party and its small far-left coalition partner, Unidas Podemos (United We Can), won local and regional elections on May 28.
Before that, Sanchez insisted on ending his four-year term, stating that the elections would be held in December. But after the defeat of Mayo, he said it was fair that the Spaniards decide the country’s political future without delay.
What happened since May 28?
The People’s Party emerged from the local and regional elections as the most voted party to date, giving it the right to hold office in all but a few cities and one or two districts.
Since then, the People’s and Fox parties have agreed to govern together in about 140 cities and towns as well as adding two more regions to the area they already govern.
The Socialists and other left-wing parties have lost political clout across the country but, after getting over the initial shock, have regrouped and regained some ground, leaving the outcome of Sunday’s vote still unknown.
What does that mean for Europe?
PP-Vox’s government could mean another EU member has moved aggressively to the right, a trend seen recently in Sweden, Finland and Italy.
Countries such as Germany and France are concerned about what such a shift might portend for the EU’s migration and climate policies.
The two main left-wing parties in Spain are pro-European Union. On the right, PP is also in favor of the EU, but Vox is not.
The election comes as Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union, and Sanchez had hoped to use the six-month period to highlight his government’s progress. Sanchez’s defeat in the elections could lead to the People’s Party taking over the presidency of the European Union.
What are the campaign themes?
Defamation from all sides dominated the campaign, with both the left and the right accusing each other of lying about their politics and past records.
The People’s Party has successfully called Sánchez’s honor into question by highlighting his many transformations and alliances with small regional separatist parties, which alienates even some left-wing voters.
The left sought to convince voters that there was not much difference between the two right-wing parties and that their victory would set Spain back decades in terms of social progress.
Almost every opinion poll has the People’s Party firmly ahead of the Socialists and Vox ahead of Soumar in third place.
But 30 percent of voters are said to be undecided.
With elections taking place in the height of summer, millions of citizens will likely spend their vacations away from their usual polling places.
But mail-in voting applications have skyrocketed, and officials estimate turnout at 70 percent.
Is there a chance for a surprise?
A surprising factor that could upset the polls’ forecasts is SUMAR: the new, broad-based movement of 15 small left-wing parties, including Podemos and prominent social figures.
Soumar is headed by the hugely popular Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz, who is also the second vice president and the only woman among the four major party leaders.
This is the first time that small left-wing parties have met on a joint ticket in Spain.
Their previous breakup has been blamed for many city and regional losses in the May elections, and they’re hoping they can score even bigger when they join together.
Soumar’s big goal is to overtake the Vox for third place. This would allow Sumar to provide valuable support to another left-wing coalition government.
Polls consistently indicated during the campaign that an outright majority for the Popular Party and Vox was very possible.
[ad_2]
