The July general election in Spain saw a welcome collapse in support for the far-right Vox party – it was evidence, many said, that the rightward drift across Europe could be defeated. Three months on, Spain is still without a new government. The deadlock could be broken before the year’s end, and for now, a new election seems unlikely. But recent scenes in parliament bode ill for whoever is running the country in the months ahead. Spanish politics today is in a state of blockage that reflects the reality of its proportional voting system and an increasingly polarised public sphere. Is it surprising that there is a growing public scepticism towards politics and a diminished interest in the news?
Overall, the July election delivered a stalemate: neither of the two biggest parties won enough seats to form a majority government. The conservative People’s party won the most votes and seats in the election, followed by the centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers party. But even if either joined forces with their natural allies on their right or left, they would still fall short of the 176 seats needed for a majority in the 350-seat parliament.
