PP emerges victorious in Spain's general election, but uncertainty looms over the formation of a new government.

Political Landscape in Spain's General Election: Catalan and Basque Influence Key to Government Formation

Spain's recent general election, held on Sunday, 23 July, has resulted in a complex political scenario, leaving the formation of the next Spanish government uncertain and heavily dependent on the support of Catalan and Basque independence parties.

The Partido Popular (PP), a conservative party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, emerged as the winner, securing 136 out of 350 seats in Spain's Congreso. However, this victory wasn't enough to grant them an absolute majority, paving the way for negotiations with other parties.

On the other side, the Socialist PSOE, led by the incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, obtained 122 seats, losing its position as the most-voted party but remaining a significant player in the political arena.

With neither of the major parties reaching an absolute majority, the path to forming a new government lies in forming alliances with smaller groups. Despite the potential collaboration between the PP and the hard-right party Vox, their combined strength still falls short of the required 176 seats for an overall majority.

The PP had been widely anticipated to win the election, and Feijóo's alliance with Vox was aimed at securing his position as the new prime minister. However, Vox, led by Santiago Abascal, only managed to win 33 seats on Sunday, leaving the right-wing bloc without the desired majority.

This opens the possibility for a left-wing coalition government to step in and take charge. The left-wing group Sumar, led by Yolanda Díaz, which includes parties like Podemos and Izquierda Unida, garnered 31 seats, adding weight to the potential left-leaning coalition.

In the province of Malaga, which sends 11 MPs to the Congreso, the electoral picture was equally diverse. The PP secured five seats, the PSOE three, Vox two, and Sumar one, reflecting the divided sentiment among voters in the region.

Looking back to the 2019 election, the PSOE had emerged victorious with 120 MPs and subsequently formed a government in coalition with left-wing groups. Meanwhile, the PP had gained 89 seats, and Vox secured 52.

As the dust settles on this election, the spotlight now falls on the negotiations between parties. The PP and PSOE, along with their respective allies, may need to seek the support of Catalan and Basque pro-independence groups to amass enough votes to form a functioning government.

In this intricate and finely balanced political landscape, the path to a stable government remains uncertain, making the influence of smaller parties even more significant in shaping Spain's future political course.