Spain’s People’s Party Wins Largest Bloc in Parliamentary Elections

The People’s Party (right), led by Alberto Nunez Viejo, won the largest bloc in Spain’s early parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Outperforming the Conservatives

The party outperformed the Conservatives led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez but failed to win a majority to form a government according to the official semi-final results.

Seat Count

A count of more than 99.3 percent of the vote showed that the People’s Party won 136 seats, up 47 seats from four years ago, while the Socialists won 122 seats, but the numbers, despite their positive attitude towards Nunez Viejo, do not rise to the threshold of 150 seats that he aspired to.

Forming a Government

Following the announcement of the results, Núñez Fijo stated in front of his party’s headquarters in Madrid: “As the candidate of the party with the most votes, I consider it my duty to ‘try to form a government'”, despite the fact that he and his only potential ally, the far-right Vox party, did not win an absolute majority of parliamentary seats.

Defeating the Right-Wing Opposition

Sánchez was quick to point out that he had managed to limit the gains of the right-wing opposition, stressing that the right and the far right had been defeated in the legislative elections.

“The reactionary bloc of the PP and the Vox party has been defeated,” Sanchez told excited socialist activists gathered outside the headquarters of the Socialist Party in central Madrid. “There are many more of us who want Spain to continue to advance,” he added.

Source: AFP