Européennes 2024 : Droite Victorious in Spain, Socialists Hold Ground
In a night of triumph for the People’s Party (PP), the moderate right-wing party emerged as the winner in the European elections held on Sunday in Spain. With 34.18% of the vote and 22 seats, the PP, led by Dolors Montserrat, gained nine seats, surpassing the Socialists of PSOE, who lost one seat and secured 30.2% of the vote (20 seats). Despite half of Spaniards choosing not to vote, the far-right Vox party strengthened its position as the third force with 10.4% of the vote (6 seats), a significant increase from their 2019 results.
Other left-wing parties such as Sumar and Podemos achieved modest scores, while the liberal Ciudadanos party disappeared from the political landscape. The coalition of Catalan, Basque, and Galician independentist parties garnered 4.3% of the vote (3 seats), with the moderate Basque and Canarian nationalists winning one seat each. The Catalans of Junts, led by Carles Puigdemont, also secured a seat, even though Puigdemont himself was not a candidate.
The highlight of the evening was the emergence of a new far-right competition for Vox, with the « Se Acabo la Fiesta » (« the party is over ») list led by a far-right YouTuber who managed to secure 3.9% of the vote (3 seats) by solely focusing on denouncing political corruption. Political analyst Lluis Orriols commented that the European elections provided a platform for launching new political projects, acknowledging the growing appeal of ultra-right ideologies among Spanish voters, especially the youth.
As the PP leader, Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, celebrated his party’s success, claiming the best results for the PP in twenty-five years, the focus shifted to the future political landscape in Spain. The campaign was heavily influenced by national politics, with strong polarization and accusations of corruption and influence peddling against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Despite Sanchez’s efforts to rally support and counter the right-wing surge, the PSOE failed to surpass the PP in the elections.
Sanchez remains determined to lead the charge against the rise of ultra-right movements in Europe and Spain, emphasizing the PSOE’s role in advancing progress and unity within Europe. While the PP savors its victory and eyes the path to governance, the political landscape in Spain continues to evolve, setting the stage for future alliances and challenges in the European arena.