Spain: Socialist Party suffers crushing defeat in regional election

Yesterday 11:00

By: Sahili Aya

Spain: Socialist Party suffers crushing defeat in regional election

In a dramatic shift in Spain’s political landscape, the conservative People’s Party (PP) has won another regional election in Extremadura, leaving the Socialist Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in disarray. The election was also marked by the continued rise of the far-right Vox party.

Official results covering 99% of ballots show the PP obtaining 43% of votes, translating to 29 seats in the 65-member regional parliament, a slight gain from their previous 28 seats. However, the PP remains reliant on Vox, which increased its representation from 5 to 11 seats with nearly 17% of the vote, to secure governance in the region.

The PSOE suffered a severe setback, losing 14 percentage points and 10 seats, ending up with 18 seats and less than 26% of the vote in a region it had long dominated. These elections followed a court order requiring former Transport Minister José Luis Abalos, a close ally of Sánchez, to appear for corruption charges. Currently in detention awaiting trial, Abalos faces allegations of bribery linked to public contracts, with the prosecution seeking 24 years in prison. He has been expelled from the PSOE.

Other investigations have targeted Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, and his younger brother, composer and conductor David Sánchez, who is accused of using the prime minister’s influence to secure a regional government position in 2017. He is scheduled for trial in May 2026 alongside ten others, including the PSOE candidate for Extremadura, Miguel Angel Gallardo.

The PSOE has also faced criticism in recent weeks for its handling of sexual harassment allegations involving senior male officials, contributing to the party’s diminished support in the region.