Spaniards are heading to the polls to vote in a bitterly contested general election that could see the far right play a key role in government for the first time since the country returned to democracy after General Franco’s death five decades ago.
The vote, called two months ago by Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, after his Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) suffered a drubbing in May’s regional and municipal elections, offers people a stark choice between the left and right blocs.
While the opposition conservative People’s party (PP) is expected to finish first, polls suggest it is likely to fall short of an absolute majority and to have to rely on the support of the far-right Vox party to form a government.
The prime minister has depicted Sunday’s vote as a crucial showdown between the forces of progress and the forces of reactionary conservatism. He argues that only the PSOE and the new, leftwing Sumar alliance, led by Spain’s deputy prime minister and labour minister, Yolanda Díaz, can defend and deliver the progressive agenda he has pursued over the past four years.
Although the PP has consistently led the polls and waged an aggressive campaign, it suffered a poor final week as the focus shifted to its leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. He had already been left looking awkward after his claims about the PP’s track record on pensions turned out to be untrue, but was then criticised for the sexist tone of an apparent reference to Díaz’s makeup.
By Friday, Feijóo found himself having to respond to renewed questions about his friendship in the 1990s with a man who was later convicted of drug trafficking.
Following the controversy, Sánchez – who was unexpectedly beaten by the PP leader in the only head-to-head debate between the leaders of Spain’s two biggest parties – has insisted that the left is staging a comeback.
“The only thing I can ask for is the highest possible turnout and the largest possible mobilisation because that’s how we can ensure that the government that emerges from this vote will be a strong one so that Spain can move forward for another four years,” the prime minister said after casting his ballot on Sunday morning.
Sánchez added that the election was “important not just for us, but also for the world and for Europe”.
Díaz, meanwhile, called on all citizens to vote, adding: “The next decade is at stake.”
Feijóo also urged Spaniards to vote despite the heat and the summer holidays.
“I feel very proud of our country because, despite the temperatures and it being the summer season, we’re seeing a good turnout, he said. “Whatever happens, I’ll keep working for my country, which I believe in. That’s my commitment, my vocation and my destiny.”
Vox, which has made culture wars a central part of its campaign, also called on voters to come out and speak up. But its leader, Santiago Abascal, also appeared to concede that, despite its potential king-making power, the party might see its seat count reduced because of a resurgent PP. “Any result Vox gets under these circumstances is going to be a heroic result,” he said on Sunday.
At 2pm, turnout was at 40.5% – 2.6 percentage points up on same time in the 2019 elections. According to Spain’s postal service, the summer election has seen a record 2.47 million registered voters casting an absentee ballot.
The PP and Vox – which have forged more regional governing coalitions since May’s elections – accuse Sánchez and his minority government partners in the Unidas Podemos alliance of being weak, opportunistic and over-reliant on the Catalan and Basque separatist parties on which it depends for support in parliament.
They also say Sánchez and his partners have failed Spaniards through their badly botched reform of sexual offences legislation which has led to more than 100 convicted sex offenders being granted early release.
Feijóo, who was a senior politician in Galicia before serving as regional president between 2009 and last year, has faced fresh scrutiny over his relationship with Marcial Dorado, who was arrested in 2003 and subsequently jailed for offences including drug trafficking, bribery and money laundering.
Feijóo has always said he had no reason to suspect Dorado was involved in anything illegal and has said he broke off contact with him as soon as he was charged with criminal offences.
“It’s easier to find out about these things now because you’ve got the internet and Google,” Feijóo said on Wednesday. “When I knew him, this gentleman wasn’t facing any proceedings over drug trafficking.”
Two days later, Feijóo accused his opponents of trying to smear him, adding that when he knew Dorado, he “had been a smuggler [but] never a drug trafficker”.
An Ipsos poll for La Vanguardia this month found that the economy was the single biggest issue for voters, with 31% of those surveyed putting it at the top of their list. Next was unemployment (10%) and healthcare (9%). Immigration, one of Vox’s favourite talking points, was the most important issue for just 2% of those polled.
