Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ties with far-right hinder Spain's Popular Party forming a government despite election win

Chances to form a government have dwindled for Spain’s conservative Popular Party after its election win after two small regional parties refused to lend their support due to the potential presence of the far-right Vox party in the cabinet

Via AP news wire
Tuesday 25 July 2023 11:03 BST

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Chances to form a government have dwindled for Spain's conservative Popular Party after its election win after two small regional parties refused to lend their support due to the potential presence of the far-right Vox party in the cabinet.

Alberto Nuñez Feijóo's right-of-center Popular Party, or PP, won the most votes in Sunday´s ballot and finished with 133 seats, far short of the 176 majority figure in the 350-seat Spanish parliament.

Feijóo tried garnering support from other parties but the numbers do not add up.

As of Tuesday, he only has the support of ultra-nationalist Vox, with 33 seats and the tiny conservative UPN party, which has only one seat.

On Monday, two small conservative parties — the Basque region's PNV with five seats and the Canary Coalition with one — dealt Feijóo a blow by saying they would not support any government with Vox party members in it.

Meanwhile, focus has shifted toward the radical Catalan secessionist party, Junts (Together), and whether it might abstain should acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez seek parliamentary support to form another leftist coalition government. Sánchez’s government relied on support from myriad small groups for the past four years, but never included Junts. Sánchez's government relied on support from myriad small groups for the past four years, but never included Junts.

His Socialist party and leftist Sumar ally have 153 seats between them and are intent on forming a government should Feijóo fail to.

The 350 newly-elected lawmakers take their seats on Aug. 17 and have three months to vote in a new prime minister. Otherwise, a new election would take place.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in