Following a severe defeat by the left in Spain's municipal and provincial elections held yesterday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early general elections, scheduled for this fall.
In a televised address, Sanchez announced that he had informed the king of his decision to dissolve parliament and hold a general election as early as July 23. "I made this decision in light of yesterday's election results," Sanchez declared gravely, "as prime minister and leader of the Socialist Party, I accept responsibility for the results and think that our democratic mandate should be put before the will of the people."
VOX president Santiago Abascal during the campaign, photo: AP
In provincial and municipal elections, the Conservative People's Party won six out of ten of the districts controlled by the Socialist Party, either alone or in coalition with other left-wing parties.
However, in order to control these districts, the Conservative Party will have to rely on the support of the radical right-wing VOX party, which could pave the way for the formation of a future coalition on the national level.
Alberto Núñez Piejo (center) celebrates in Madrid,
People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Fejjo said following his party's gains in yesterday's elections: "We have taken the first step to return to the premiership." The conservative party lost power in Spain to the Socialists five years ago. Recent polls have indicated that the Conservative Party is likely to win the next general election, but it will only be able to form a government with the support of VOX, with which it has so far refrained from coalition cooperation. VOX receives between 15-20% in surveys.
The party leader was supposed to arrive in Jerusalem this weekend to attend a conference of European right-wing parties from the conservative and reformist factions.
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