The election campaign in the capital region of Madrid was marked by extremes.
The conservative incumbent Ayuso hopes for a victory in “Europe's party capital”.
Madrid - Around 5.1 million residents of the Spanish * capital region of Madrid were called on Tuesday, May 4th, to a regional election in which the right of the country could hope for a victory. According to surveys, the regional head of government Isabel Díaz Ayuso from the conservative People's Party (PP) headed for around 40 percent, almost doubling their share of the vote by 2019. Together with PP boss Pablo Casado, she called the vote, which roughly corresponds to a state election in Germany, for the “beginning of the end” of the left-wing government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez *. There was only marginal mention of the major economic and social problems in a country exhausted by the corona pandemic * and which is placing all hopes on the EU billions in aid.
Ayuso made a name for herself above all by criticizing the restrictions initiated by the Sánchez government since the beginning of the corona pandemic * and only reluctantly or not at all to implement them for Madrid.
Despite higher numbers of infected people and deaths, many gave her credit for keeping it open.
Madrid was at times referred to as the “party capital of Europe” and pub owners call Ayuso a “Santa”, a saint.
Regional elections in Spain: coalition with right-wing populists?
But even with a good election result, the 42-year-old would most likely need a partner for a parliamentary majority.
And there is currently only the right-wing populist Vox in question, which the minority government of Ayuso with the liberal conservative Ciudadanos tolerated in the last legislative period.
The Liberals acted clumsily, however, and Ayuso terminated the coalition in March.
At the same time, she started the election two years early in order to forestall a vote of no confidence in her.
According to surveys, Ciudadanos is now threatened with failing the five percent hurdle.
Then Ayuso would only have to rely on Vox, which was around nine percent in surveys.
"We will offer our votes to Ayuso, but with conditions," said Vox top candidate, Rocío Monasterio.
Which are they?
"We'll say that on May 5th."
The prospect of a PP-Vox pact united the otherwise often divided left.
Sánchez said the "beginning of the end of a life-filled democracy" threatens.
Pablo Iglesias from the left-wing alternative Unidas Podemos even went into battle with the battle cry “fascism or democracy”.
(dpa / fmü)
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