Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Monday the surprise call of early legislative elections on July 23 in Spain, the day after a final rout of the left against the conservatives in a double municipal and regional ballot.
During a televised address, Mr. Sanchez announced that he had communicated to King Felipe VI, the Head of State, his “decision to […] dissolve Parliament and proceed with the calling of general elections” to be held “on Sunday 23 July”.
These elections will therefore be held during the semester of Spain’s presidency of the European Council, which will begin on 1er July.
The legislative elections were initially to be held at the end of the year on a date which had not yet been fixed.
“I took this decision in view of the results of yesterday’s elections,” said Mr. Sanchez, looking serious, from the Moncloa Palace, the seat of the Spanish government.
“As president of the government and as secretary of the Socialist Party, I assume the results (of Sunday) and I think that it is necessary to give an answer and to submit our democratic mandate to the popular will”, he said. added.
The victory of the conservatives of the Popular Party (PP, right) during the regional and municipal elections on Sunday exceeded the expectations, however optimistic, of the conservative formation.
“First step” for the right
Of the 10 regions governed by the Socialists directly or as part of a coalition and which were at stake on Sunday, the PP won six, including that of Valencia, one of the most populous and rich in the country.
However, he will have to count on the support of the extreme right of Vox in five of them, because he does not have an absolute majority there.
The PP has also strengthened itself in its two regional bastions of Madrid and Murcia and has taken the town halls of Valencia and Seville, the country’s third and fourth largest cities.
“We have taken the first step” towards the Moncloa Palace, said Monday morning Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP and potential successor to Pedro Sanchez at the head of Spain if he wins the legislative elections.
Pedro Sanchez has presided over the Spanish government since June 2018. He then ousted the conservative Mariano Rajoy from power thanks to the filing of a motion of censure following the conviction of the PP by justice in a megatrial for corruption.
He has governed since January 2020 in coalition with the radical left of Podemos.