A big victory for the right in Madrid

Just five or six years ago, a shift occurred in Spanish politics – the traditional right and left were being challenged by the budding, right-wing liberals Ciudadanos, and, above all, the Podemos Left Party.

Today’s government is led by the Social Democratic Party (PSOE) and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. They rule with the left-wing Unidas Podemos, and until very recently, leader Pablo Iglesias was the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. He announced Wednesday that he would leave politics altogether.

Tuesday’s regional elections in Madrid, the richest region in Spain, were a victory for the traditional right, the Popular Party. Most political analysts view the elections as crucial for the entire nation. “A clear message to Moncloa” writes Spain’s highest daily newspaper, El País – Moncloa is the residence and workplace of the Spanish prime minister.

“A fortune teller into the future,” says an editor for the daily El Mundo. In this case, Spain’s political future looks like this: the right takes control with the help of the far right.

Green Feminism Forward

Unidas Podemos’ Pablo Iglesias won fewer seats in the regional parliament than the far-right Vox (10 and 13, respectively). Social Democratic Party candidate Angel Gabelondo led his party to the worst result ever (24 seats) in the region. The only winner in the left-wing bloc was Monica Garcia of Progressive Más Madrid (MM) “For a Green and Feminist Future” who scored a record score (24 seats) – MM received more votes than PSOE.

Instead, it was a victory for the Spanish right – and this despite the fact that liberal Ciodadanos from the right of center made an amazing journey, going from 26 to 0 seats in Parliament.
On the other hand, the right-wing PP got up to 65 seats, which is more than all three left-wing parties combined. Thus Isabelle Díaz Ayusu (People’s Party) can form a regional government without having to invite the right-wing extremist Fox to the government – but she nonetheless depends on them to cast their votes, which they will not do without some consensus.