Victory for conservatives and populists in Spanish elections shows the left-wing losing ground.
In a clear political shift, the Spanish elections saw conservative and populist parties triumphing over socialist and radical left contenders. The socialist party lost 11 of their 22 big city mayors, with the radical left losing seats in parliament. This suggests a significant diminish in support for the left-wing parties, as more Spaniards move towards conservative ideologies.
The conservative Popular Party (PP) won the most votes in seven of Spain’s 10 big cities in Sunday’s local elections, marking a substantial gain in power. With majorities and pluralities in cities like Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the PP has made its presence known. However, in order to govern in some regions, the party will have to join forces with the far-right party, VOX.
As Spain’s fastest-growing party, VOX tripled its seats in this recent election, reflecting the increasing political shift to the right. Many agree that the European majority leans right rather than left, with the results of these elections serving as evidence of this changing landscape. Should the gains made by the Popular Party be replicated in the general election later this year, it may lead to the end of the current left-wing coalition of the socialist party PSOE and Unidas Podemos.
This shift to a more conservative-leaning Spain signifies a return to the two-party system, with the socialist party and the conservative party dominating over the left and right. The decline in popularity of left-wing Unidas Podemos and centrist Ciudadanos (Citizens) highlights this change, as the PP took the latter’s seats on councils across the country. With many Spaniards abandoning left-wing ideologies and supporting conservative groups, the future of Spanish politics seems to have shifted in favor of the right.
The conservative and populist victories in the Spanish elections signify a significant weakening of the left-wing and a move towards a more conservative political landscape, leaving the future of Spanish politics in the hands of the right.
