Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Beirut: The Syrian delegation's visit to Beirut, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed until next week
Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza: The total number of Palestinians killed due to famine and malnutrition has risen to 313, including 119 children
Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip: 10 people, including two children, have died of starvation in the past 24 hours
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: US envoy Tom Barrack cancels his visit to Tyre and al-Khiam amid popular protests
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces carried out an explosion in the southern border town of Kfar Kila
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.

After heavy loss, Spanish PM calls for snap elections

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 29 May 2023 14:51
3 Min Read

The elections will take place immediately after Spain assumes the rotating chair of the European Union on July 1.

  • x
  • Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looks on during a press statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 18, 2022. (Reuters)
    Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looks on during a press statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, March 18, 2022. (Reuters)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a surprise July 23 snap election on Monday shortly after left-wing ruling Socialist Workers' Party PSOE suffered a heavy loss in Sunday's regional and local elections against its conservative rival People’s Party PP.

The PP led the race with 7.43 million votes, surpassing the socialist party by almost 3.4 percentage points. The results were widely viewed as a rehearsal for a general election scheduled at the end of the year.

Spaniards across the country voted for mayors in 8,131 municipalities, while also electing leaders and assemblies in 12 of Spain's 17 regions. 

The PSOE was only able to secure three regions it used to govern, as per Europa Press agency.

Sanchez announced in a televised speech that he had notified King Felipe VI of his intention to dissolve parliament and "call a general election" on July 23.

"I have taken this decision in light of the results of yesterday's elections," he said.

"As the head of the government and of the Socialist party, I take responsibility for the results and I think it is necessary to respond and submit our democratic mandate to the popular will," he added.

The elections will take place immediately after Spain assumes the rotating chair of the European Union on July 1.

Sanchez has faced numerous challenges since taking office in 2018: voter dissatisfaction with his left-wing administration, skyrocketing inflation, and dwindling buying power in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

Related News

Morocco likely involved in Pegasus hacking 200+ Spanish mobile numbers

He has had to deal with the impact of periodic squabbles between the Socialists and their hard-left coalition partner Podemos. 

The PP secured just over seven million votes (31.52 percent) in the municipal elections, in comparison with nearly 6.3 million for the Socialists (28.11 percent).

The numbers represent a big setback for Sanchez, whose Socialist party leads the eurozone's fourth-largest economy in partnership with the far-left Podemos party. 

"We have won a clear victory and Spain has taken the first steps towards a new political era," said the opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, head of the right-wing Popular Party (PP) in a victory speech early on Monday.

However, the PP will be able to rule in numerous regions only with the help of the far-right Vox, which was also a winner in Sunday's polls, posing a big dilemma for Feijoo. 

Vox, the third-largest party in parliament, aspires to be a vital partner for the PP, both regionally and, ultimately, nationally.

Recognizing that conquering the center is critical to winning the general election, Feijoo has attempted to modify the PP's position while keeping Vox at bay.

In Madrid, the PP was enjoying a double victory, with its hardline regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso securing an absolute majority, which means she will no longer have to rely on Vox for support. 

Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, the PP mayor of the capital, was also re-elected with an absolute majority. 

It is worth noting that 35.5 million voters were eligible to cast ballots in the local elections, and 18.3 million were eligible to vote in the regional elections.

Read more: Spain struggles to provide assistance to Ukrainian Refugees

  • Spanish PM
  • Spain elections
  • Spain
  • VOX

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people who were killed in an Israeli military strike, during their funeral outside Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Friday, August 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel’s' 'double-tap' strike on Gaza hospital must be probed: UN

Elon Musk flashes his t-shirt that reads DOGE to the media as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sunday, March 9, 2025 (AP)
Technology

Whistleblower warns DOGE mishandled social security data of millions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives for a joint press conference with President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

House Democrats urge Rubio to admit injured Gaza kids after visa halt

The Microsoft Sign at the Redmond headquarters sprayed in red during a protest against 'Israel' using the company's cloud services, Redmond, Washington DC, United States, August 21, 2025 (Social Media)
Politics

Current, ex-Microsoft staff arrested in sit-in against Israeli ties

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS